Combat Click Fraud with this Checklist

 

The advertising trades have been buzzing with articles and debates about click fraud as consumers, advertisers and publishers have fine-tuned their ability to identify botnet traffic.  The topics of ad impressions, brand safety and “real” human conversions are resurfacing to bring traffic security to the forefront – and we’re glad it’s in the spotlight.  The seedy underbelly of the internet is alive and well as evident by the fact that Security researchers at Spider.Io found that a botnet called “Chameleon” had infected over 120,000 desktops in the U.S. and could net over U.S. $6 million in a single month! On the other hand you will find publisher sites with fifteen ads on one page and they are sure to count each as an impression that is charged back to the advertisers. Sound familiar?

 

 

The good news is that the rebirth of the click fraud discussion has given way to new quality assurance strategies. There are some advertisers, publishers and technology providers that are joining forces to combat the dark side of the web by choosing to take the high road and develop processes to ensure the quality of traffic is upheld and brands are secure.

 

 

We’ve developed a checklist to help our advertisers make smarter choices when it comes to where they place their ads:

 

 

• What sites is the ad network comprised of? Is there a mix of top quality and niche sites?



• Do they have standards in place before allowing sites to join their network?



• What process do ad networks use to scrub traffic? Do they have an on-site ad ops team?



• What is the contingency plan if bad traffic is detected?



• Is the network a participating member of the Interactive Advertising Bureau or the Network Advertising Initiative?



• Is the network vertically aligned so I can target to be industry specific or is the only option to advertise across the network?



• Does the network have reporting available and accessible to me?



• What transparency do I have into site refers?



• What technology do they use to target my ads?



• Does the network have examples of where their current ad inventory is running?



• Can I talk to a person if I need support?



 

 

As Click fraud remains a nettlesome problem for advertisers, employing due diligence and the right strategy to mitigate the risks will help protect campaigns. At NTENT, we’ve instated our Security Integrity Process to combat click fraud and to uphold our commitment to the content creators, advertisers and consumers.