Comments on: Flat Fee Advertising All That’s Left?

By: greg abel

greg abel — Sat, 02 Sep 2006 16:38:44 +0000

OK…Here’s what got my interest: “14% of clicks in the click-through variety of advertising is fraudulent.” I wouldn’t be surprised if it was even higher (I’m a real conspirator theorist at heart). I figure if there is a way to make extra money, somebody will do it. I can even invision staffs of hundreds of folks in India, or somewhere else, being paid to sit there and click-through on these sites that are paying for advertizement on a per click basis. Don’t know about “14%” but I’m sure it is probably happening to some extent!

Greg
http://www.DiCaprioBengals.com

By: babsbitchin

babsbitchin — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 22:41:44 +0000

If you find out if this is true, please let us know. Quite frankly, I don’t know alot about it but am researching it all now. Somehow, I keep coming back to your blog, it is quite resourseful. I would, somehow, like projection of my one blog, Ask Aunt B, http://askauntb.blogspot.com/ and would love to pitch it in conjunction with adverts. I’ll be back, as I am able, for the most part to understand how you present things. I mean you’re technical but you present well. Make sense? Thanks!

By: Ace

Ace — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 17:39:53 +0000

You’re a cow.

By: Harry

Harry — Sun, 09 Jul 2006 07:42:17 +0000

14.6% is close to what you get according this article by BW:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/09/washington/09russia.html?ex=1310097600&en=f35bb44903cc3e14&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

About $800 million’s worth was lost last year.

By: Greengray.org - Pay-per-click advertising is dying, but not from click fraud

Greengray.org - Pay-per-click advertising is dying, but not from click fraud — Sat, 08 Jul 2006 19:47:53 +0000

[...] Some bloggers now spell the end of pay-per-click advertising. I think that might be a false conclusion. [...]

By: Darren McLaughlin

Darren McLaughlin — Sat, 08 Jul 2006 12:24:10 +0000

No way are contextual ads dead. They may have been “slapped around a bit” based on stories like this one, but the people who are converting customers will continue to pay.

Is the “easy money” in contextual ads gone? Probably so. So what? That means more money for the pros.

By: Leon

Leon — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 23:13:30 +0000

I feel its more than 14%. A lot of blogs are out there for the sole puropse of tricking contexual advertising. We’ve all seen those mesotheilioma blogs.

By: Paul Drago

Paul Drago — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 17:00:49 +0000

Where that figure comes from:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/07/05/BUGL6JOQPA1.DTL

I am only posting the link because I am sure you have rel=no follow

By: A.B. Dada

A.B. Dada — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 14:19:20 +0000

For some advertisers (such as myself), click fraud is almost ZERO concern. I’ve even e-mail Google about it — I wish they had an item called “Pay for every click” under AdWords. Why don’t I mind click fraud? Brand recognition.

If you are a huge advertiser (think Honda or McDonalds or Sears), anyone seeing your ad and your brand name is a net gain — even if they’re just seeing it to click their own ads. While I think for the smaller advertisers it MIGHT be considered a loss, for the big ones it is a huge gain. Getting your name read is huge for brand recognition over a period of a few years.

I think the biggest complainers about click fraud are the Made for Adsense advertisers/publishers. I’m a small advertiser and I have absolutely zero concern for click fraud — and all of my customers who I help market also don’t care about click fraud. How many TV commercials get watched but ignored every day? How many magazine ads get read and ignored? Click fraud is no big deal, and people need to let Google do their job in battling it, but also realize that product/brand recognition is still gained even during a fraudulent click.

By: Jim Kukral

Jim Kukral — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 13:24:06 +0000

It’s not going away just yet. Supplement it though, who knows, someday maybe your 2nd option becomes your first? Very possible if done right.

By: Sebastian

Sebastian — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 12:57:16 +0000

the only way to solve this problem is to shop online, yes you heard me, shop online. For example, When Darren Rowse wants an ipod of phone or pay his bills or something, do it online. PPC will survive when there is business, stop buying things offline.

support online business, when they thrive, so do bloggers.

By: pcunix

pcunix — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 11:25:21 +0000

First, I agree that fraud is just part of doing business. I’m an Adsense publisher but I’m also an Adwords advertiser; fraud is just something you have to expect.

However: Google et al. can and will work to reduce it and to provide other ways not so affected by fraud. Their CPA test may be one way. I suggested something similar at my http://aplawrence.com/Web/click_fraud_cure.html that could be used even for advertising that wouldn’t quite fit the CPA model, and I bet the bright folks at Google are thinking about all sorts of other things.

My ad revenue is down about 15%, but it’s very hard to tell if that’s lower bids (quite possible with all the economic problems right now) or is from other factors. I don’t fret about it – just keep on trucking.

By: Tim

Tim — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 09:31:40 +0000

Click fraud is even a big blog thing in Germany at this time.

By: bernard

bernard — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 08:42:12 +0000

june for me was a brilliant month, lots of ’sales’ via adsense, July is less, but also less visitors due to the summer and less competive ads I guess… nothing to worry about.

By: Andy Merrett

Andy Merrett — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 07:45:04 +0000

My revenue is down a little but I generally put that down to summer, nothing else. Fraud is a problem but I don’t think it’s insurmountable.

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 07:04:12 +0000

I think the poster should discuss more in his post rather than make nonsense posts and link back to his site…

By: George

George — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 04:30:45 +0000

In some ways contextual advertising is just starting. MSN and Yahoo are getting into the game, for them it’s just starting.

Yes, they need to fix click fraud, but with so many people getting into the contextual advertising game, I would be surprised if it died anytime soon. It may not be the best way to make money on the net, but it can provide a nice income.

By: Tore O.

Tore O. — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 04:13:55 +0000

If I remember right, fraudulent clicks were the main reason porn and gambling sites shut down their click through programs and went on to only do percentage of sale or pay per sale in the beginning of the 00s. We may see the same thing happening for the contextual ads.

By: Aaron Brazell

Aaron Brazell — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 03:06:08 +0000

I still use it on some sites. I’ve eliminated it on others. And I’ve thought for some time that if it isn’t dead, it’s dying quickly. And I also make the idsclaimer that I am no expert.

Clear as mud? :)

By: Don

Don — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 03:04:23 +0000

I’m confused. you say you’ve thought for a while tht contextual advertizing is dead. Yet you are still using it and recommending it.

Please expound.

Thanks!