Much has been written about it, especially since even the big names began to get affected. It is one thing to know the attacks are happening, however, do we really know at what scale they're affecting our business, and do we know how to stop it from happening?
When it comes to ad fraud prevention, there are multiple approaches. These range from ad fraud protection that relies on detection and reporting to predictive anti-fraud solutions that leverage machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI).
Today, ad fraud detection tools do more than just detect when bots engage with an ad. Some tools also block bots from interacting with an ad, while others can even stop bots from interacting with most of an ad exchange. This sounds impressive, but as anyone who has dealt with ad fraud can tell you, it is easier said than done. As the technology in dealing with these frauds evolves, so do the fraud tactics.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution to prevent ad fraud. Not only does ad fraud take different forms depending on which brand it is targeting, but the company's needs also play a major role in the fraud. Let's explore the benefits of using ad fraud prevention tools.
1. Ad Spend Optimization
There are two types of invalid traffic, namely General Invalid Traffic (GIVT) and Sophisticated Invalid Traffic (SIVT). These invalid traffic cripples advertising budgets, which makes ad spend optimization a challenge almost every brand faces.
With this in mind, ad fraud prevention tools provide programmatic ad spend optimization. This works by reducing the number of malicious bots trying to connect to a given network.
The optimization identifies multiple aspects such as user behavior, flags them as bot traffic or suspicious users, and effectively manages them so they don't consume inventory from other legitimate users. Ultimately, this saves money for brands, because less invalid traffic contributes to lower customer acquisition costs.
2. Timesaving
Every second counts for any business. Automated ad prevention tools provide results that, using the same window, cannot be achieved with manual processes.
Due to the sophistication of ad fraud over the past few years, detecting ad fraud by noticing patterns in advertisements has become more challenging. Fraudsters can now create false, real-life user behavior capable of tricking many detection systems, talk less of the human eye. All of which makes the archaic method of pattern analysis more futile.
Many businesses that implemented ad fraud prevention tools reported how it freed them countless hours of monitoring time along with improved accuracy in blocking fraudulent activity.
3. More Effective Ad Fraud Detection
Ad fraud solutions that use proprietary techniques and smart models use data science to learn from a range of factors to identify potentially fraudulent activity. This is to say, the more these tools detect ad fraud, the better they get at it.
Machine learning and AI have proven to be cost-effective in developing ad fraud detection tools. These technologies can proactively deal with a fraud-related issue before it escalates and costs you a potential media backlash.
4. Maximized ROAS
As with most digital advertising solutions, ad fraud prevention tools help businesses put their ad spend where it should be.
CFOs, budget managers, and executives responsible for ad budgets are keen to maximize revenue by raising their digital advertising ROAS (return on ad spend). Ad fraud prevention solutions can help them properly scrutinize ads placement, delivery, and engagement; thereby providing a safer environment for them to run ads that'll yield clean results and reduce false positives.
Brands that use automated ad fraud prevention solutions can boast of reaching the right customers at the right time: the ingredients to great user conversion.
5. Improved Data Collection
Ad fraud prevention is a key element in any data-driven advertising strategy. Even as fraud muddles up the process, the solution enhances and streamlines the collection of advertising data, allowing you to hone in on the best of your current customers, or even find new ones.
Effective ad fraud detection tools offer dynamic reports that robustly identify suspicious traffic. Most of these tools can generate detailed, visualized reports that outline how exactly your ads are generating results.
This makes it easier to see how a campaign went astray, or when a campaign is functioning perfectly, within a particular period. Thus, you can spot which ads perform the best, which ads are underperforming, and identify insights that improve your campaign success, which equates to better overall marketing operations.
6. Improved Brand Safety
Ads can be displayed on inappropriate websites displaying violent or adult content without the advertiser's knowledge. To maintain their integrity, companies must monitor and ensure that their ads are displayed only on relevant, trusted websites. Using fraud prevention tools, businesses can track any traffic coming from suspicious domains and block such sites.
Ad fraud prevention tools can also optimize the display of ads across multiple devices. This not only helps the brands save precious ad space but also lessens the risk of spamming users with ads they've already seen. All these bode well for the company that took these safety measures using fraud prevention tools. See how publishers tackle brand safety in our article here.
Conclusion
It is not an overstatement to say that digital advertising has come a long way since the inception of the internet. It has grown more sophisticated with each passing year, and the need to maintain quality standards in the industry's operations has continued to grow.
Advertisers and marketers today are busier than ever, attempting to cater to multiple target audiences. With constant changes in the preferences of customers, companies are looking for ways to ensure their ads are delivered to the right audiences, at the right time. Companies want to have their ads delivered through trustworthy sources, optimize marketing budgets, improve the metrics they use to measure success (KPIs), and a lot more; and that is where ad fraud prevention tools come into play.
Over the last decade, various companies have developed technology solutions for eliminating fraud and boosting ad performance. While different tools offer different solutions, they are all based on the same set of principles: to clean the industry of fraud practices and to keep fraudsters at bay.
The companies that choose to prevent ad fraud are playing their own role in both protecting their brands and lending a hand in helping the industry live up to its potential. For your brand, please know that at the end of the day, the true value of implementing an ad fraud detection tool cannot be quantified, but must rather be experienced. Start your fraud-free journey with Spider AF's 14-day free trial today!
FAQ about Fraudulent Traffic Prevention
What is digital ad fraud and why should businesses be concerned about it?
Digital ad fraud refers to the deceptive practice of falsifying online advertising data for financial gain. Businesses should be concerned as it can lead to inflated advertising costs and skewed campaign data, making it challenging to reach real target users and achieve a positive return on ad spend (ROAS).
How do ad fraud prevention companies help in optimizing ad campaigns?
Ad fraud prevention companies utilize advanced prevention methods to identify and block fraudulent traffic, ensuring that ad campaigns are viewed by genuine human traffic. This optimization leads to more efficient use of advertising budgets and better campaign performance.
What are some common types of ad fraud that advertisers need to be wary of?
Common types of ad fraud include click fraud, impression fraud, ad injection, hidden ads, ad stacking, and affiliate fraud. These practices can generate fake impressions and fraudulent clicks, undermining the effectiveness of online advertising campaigns.
Can you explain how ad fraud detection techniques work in ad tech industry?
Ad fraud detection techniques in the ad tech industry often involve data analysis, pattern recognition, and proprietary technology to identify discrepancies that suggest fraudulent behavior. These techniques help to filter out non-human traffic and fake traffic, ensuring advertisers pay only for legitimate engagement.
Why is it important to choose ad fraud detection companies with advanced technology?
Ad fraud detection companies with advanced technology, such as AI and machine learning, can better adapt to the evolving tactics of fraudsters. They can detect and prevent online advertising fraud more effectively, safeguarding marketing efforts and generating revenue from real users.
What strategies do ad fraud prevention companies use to avoid hidden ads and ad stacking?
These companies implement strategies that can detect when multiple ads are layered on top of each other or when ads are hidden from view, which prevents advertisers from paying for unseen impressions. These prevention measures are crucial for maintaining the integrity of advertising ecosystems.
How does mobile ad fraud differ from other forms of ad fraud, and what can be done about it?
Mobile ad fraud involves fraudulent activities specifically in mobile environments, such as mobile apps, where fake clicks and unauthorized ad placements can occur. Effective solutions include specialized mobile-focused fraud detection tools and continuous monitoring to protect against these threats.
What are the risks associated with traffic fraud and how do ad fraud prevention companies address them?
Traffic fraud involves generating illegitimate traffic to simulate engagement. Ad fraud prevention companies address these risks by verifying the sources of traffic, distinguishing between human traffic and bots, and ensuring that the traffic generated is by real users.
How do online ads benefit from the use of ad fraud detection techniques?
Online ads benefit from ad fraud detection techniques by ensuring that impressions and clicks are from genuine users, which increases the accuracy of performance metrics and the efficacy of digital marketing strategies.
What steps can advertisers take to ensure their ad content is not affected by domain spoofing?
Advertisers can work with trustworthy accountability group-certified partners and use ad fraud prevention tools that can verify the authenticity of ad placements and prevent unauthorized ads to mitigate the risk of domain spoofing.
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