Richard Kahn
Fraudsters. We know they’re lurking online, hiding behind identities that aren’t their own. But for some odd reason, many marketers aren’t aware of the long-term effects ad fraud can have on their businesses.
Anura decided to dig deeper, by surveying respondents from brand and agency professionals. They wanted to determine current data and behaviors toward ad fraud as well as protection. The survey uncovered quite a few areas of concern.
Loss of Money Is a Problem
Our respondents are losing the most money in search advertising fraud. The biggest areas where advertising funds are being drained are as follows:
- Search: 30%
- Lead/Conversion: 27%
- Retargeting: 27%
67% of survey respondents are aware they’ve lost money due to ad fraud in the past year, but 20% of these respondents are unaware of the exact amount lost.
Programmatic Is Hurting Transparency
A whopping 69% believe existing programmatic buying platforms offer limited transparency. Programmatic thrives on split-second decision making for the placement of advertisements on websites. But, the process itself isn't very transparent and advertisers often aren't sure where advertisements are placed or seen. This lack of transparency is troubling, but also makes a ripe target for ad fraud.
Protection Is a Top Concern
The majority of respondents, actually 90%, are worried about falling prey to ad fraud. 37% are unaware if and how fraudulent activity has occurred in their own advertising efforts. On top of that, only 23% of these concerned marketers feel confident and fully protected in their advertising efforts.
Ad Fraud Solutions Tools Are Needed
Advertisers and marketers alike crave publishers who use an ad fraud solution. The proof is right here: 93% of respondents believe when selecting vendors and forming partnerships, the level of investment concerning ad fraud is important.
Ad Fraud Isn’t Taken Seriously
Although 67% of respondents agree that the industry isn’t responding to the seriousness of ad fraud, only 27% believe the responsibility falls with ad tech vendors to establish stronger standards for fraudless service.
Conclusion
Nearly all respondents recognize the lack of options for ad fraud protection and detection. The few options available still don’t offer their desired level of protection. There’s a long road ahead in the fight against ad fraud. Educate yourself on where ad fraud can be found, and how to protect yourself: