When advertisers are deciding whether or not to use paid search, one of their biggest concerns is click fraud. While it may seem like paranoia, it’s a valid worry for many using pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. However, don’t let the fear of click fraud scare you away from PPC entirely. Being aware of it, monitoring your account, and taking preventative measures will keep you safe.

Click Fraud Explained

Click fraud is a deceptive tactic that artificially increases clicks on pay-per-click ads. There are usually two motives behind it:

• Competitors trying to sabotage each other by inflating costs and depleting budgets quickly.
• Website owners clicking on their own ads to generate more revenue.

Search Engines’ Efforts Against Click Fraud

Search engines have been criticized for not doing enough to combat click fraud. This skepticism is understandable since they profit from clicks, regardless of their legitimacy. To address this and reassure advertisers, major ad platforms have dedicated teams to tackle click fraud.

Google has the most comprehensive anti-click fraud system. It uses a three-pronged approach, starting with automated filters. These algorithms detect and eliminate invalid clicks instantly, before charges are incurred. Knowing filters won’t catch everything, Google’s Ad Traffic Quality Team manually analyzes and removes suspicious clicks before billing. Additionally, they investigate advertiser reports of suspicious activity. Any fraudulent clicks are marked “invalid,” and accounts are credited.

Detecting Click Fraud in Your Account

Now that you understand click fraud, you’re probably wondering if it’s happening to you. Before panicking, know that there are many ways to identify if you’re a victim! To learn more, I spoke with Evan Cummins from nexus-security about what our marketing services team does to protect clients. He explained that you can approach this through manual analysis or automated solutions, depending on your resources.

The DIY Approach

For those choosing the DIY route, here’s Evan’s advice: First, you’ll need internal reporting. This is valuable regardless of click fraud suspicions because while Google shows if a click became a lead, internal reporting reveals if it converted into a sale. This helps optimize bids for terms generating sales. To track click fraud internally, gather this information:

• IP address
• click timestamp
• action timestamp
• user agent The need for IP addresses is obvious, but what about the others? Compare click timestamps (when someone arrives from an ad) with action timestamps (when they complete an action). Multiple click timestamps without action timestamps from the same IP likely indicate click fraud. Lastly, user agents help identify if it’s the same person from a particular IP by providing device details like computer type, browser, and software. When you find a suspicious IP address, check its owner on websites like www.whatismyipaddress.com, www.whatismyip.com, and www.ip2location.com.

Free guide: Hacking Google Ads: The One Trick That Could Save You Thousands

Be aware of proxy servers. It’s common to see significant traffic from a single location, only to find it’s a proxy server at a public place like a coffee shop or university. Researching the IP helps determine this. If unsure, analyze searches from that IP. Varied searches suggest a proxy server, while similar queries in a short timeframe point towards fraudulent clicks. Report any identified click fraud to Google Ads Support.

Stopping Click Fraud in its Tracks

Although Google claims to be actively fighting click fraud, many advertisers still see it as a problem. If you can’t solely rely on Google, take action!

Don’t be afraid to take control of the situation. Here are 4 effective ways to protect yourself from click fraudsters:

1. Utilize Facebook/Twitter Ads: These platforms limit ad display to their own networks, eliminating third-party publishers, a significant source of click fraud. Malicious clicks from competitors are also less common due to the precise targeting options based on specific interests, making it harder for them to locate your ads.
2. Implement IP Exclusions in Google Ads: After identifying fraudulent IP addresses, block them from seeing your ads. Go to the Settings tab in Google Ads, find the IP Exclusions setting, and add the problematic addresses.
3. Focus on GDN Remarketing Campaigns: Remarketing helps avoid publisher-based click fraud because ads are only shown to users who previously interacted with your website, preventing publishers from clicking.
4. Refine Your Ad Targeting: Small targeting adjustments can eliminate invalid clicks. If you suspect click fraud from a particular region (often where “click farms” operate), consider excluding those locations and languages. To thwart competitors, exclude their zip codes or cities. However, ensure you’re not blocking genuine traffic; only exclude areas with predominantly fraudulent clicks.

Now, I ask you, my fellow click-fraud victims, what strategies have you used to combat malicious clicks in your accounts?