Ad fraud is difficult to discuss and describe, even for people in the digital advertising business. We all know it happens, but it’s hard to pinpoint its different ways and effects. This makes it even harder to understand how to stop it.
CPM and pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns aren’t the only ones dealing with ad fraud. Ad stacking is one of the most common types. Although common, marketers will be glad to know it’s easy to spot.
We’ll review how ad stacking works and what measures you can implement to combat it. Also, if you don’t know how to handle it, you can hire a white-label digital marketing agency. Professionals can help your clients prevent fraud.
What Is Ad Stacking?
Ad stacking is a form of digital ad fraud in which multiple ads are layered within the same ad placement. The user can only see the top ad, while impressions or clicks are falsely attributed to all ads in the stack under CPM or CPC pricing models.
Users don’t know it, but sometimes there are more ads below the one they can see, like an iceberg. When a user clicks on an ad, that click is falsely recorded on all the ads in that layer. This costs advertisers money because they pay for fake ad views and clicks.
The Connection Between Ad Stacking and Ad Fraud
Ad stacking is ad fraud, including many dishonest actions that waste advertising funds by showing ads to people who aren’t interested in them or by changing measurements. It is especially bad because it takes over real user interactions. When businesses pay per impression or click, they want their image to be seen and interacted with. On the other hand, ad stacking only shows the top ad to users and gets their attention. However, the marketer still pays for the hidden ads.
How Does Ad Stacking Work?
Scammers can use ad stacking in different ways. For example, a fake publisher script calls ads and stacks them into one ad unit instead of showing one ad per ad unit. Many ads in the placement will have an opacity of zero or close to zero, so the user can only see one.
Fraudsters can also use an ad stack by script-loading a static placeholder image that the user can see while a video ad plays in the background. This keeps making ad calls that lead to impressions. Some scammers will put invisible ads on a banner rotation, meaning there is an ongoing auction for invisible ads behind the obvious ad. One ad is shown for a certain time, and another is loaded to take its place.
People who see these ads never actually see them, but marketers pay for them because they fulfill the pixel requirements for an ad impression.
How Do We Prevent Ad Stacking?
Here are some effective techniques to prevent ad stacking:
1. Use Browser Tools
Browser tools can help you test different viewport sizes. For example, Mozilla and Chrome have developer tools that let you see how the site looks on other phone, tablet, and laptop screens. Set aside some monthly time to review several pages in all available sizes. Carefully examine the edges of the ads to make sure nothing seems off.
2. Monitor Impressions
It will be easy to find and report if you keep running multiple ads with the same distributor who stacks them. If multiple ads from the same source generate identical impressions or click counts across placements, this may indicate stacking or manipulation.
Ask your publisher for a report that shows the traffic sources and how people may interact with your ads. This will help you determine why they all give you the same result.
3. Set Clear Objectives and KPIs
Make sure that the key performance indicators in digital marketing are clear and in line with your advertising goals. Relevant metrics like conversion and engagement rates can give you a better idea of how well your ads are doing. Also, the campaign reports must be carefully read to identify unusual or common performance metrics from a similar target group.
4. Third Party Technology
Advertisers usually use third-party fraud protection software to find and stop all types of mobile ad fraud automatically. For instance, when it comes to ad stacking, fraud prevention software can tell when the same person made multiple impressions or clicks simultaneously, meaning that various ads were stacked on each other.
5. Blocklists: The Dodgy Users
You can block certain domains and IPs of “users” who click if you think suspicious traffic comes from companies that aren’t so good. Since you can’t control the software or traffic that comes through those sites, blocklisting them is a good way to avoid the fake traffic they may be bringing in.
6. Stay Updated On Evolving Ad Fraud Tactics
Keeping Ad Stacking from happening requires strict standards for ad quality, working with trustworthy ad networks, and regularly checking how well ads are doing. To successfully fight Ad Stacking, you should learn the best ways to do things in your industry and keep up with new ad fraud schemes.
Bottom Lines
Although ad stacking may not be as visible as other fraud types, it is one of the most damaging due to its impact on budgets and data accuracy. It destroys all your hard work, so it’s also one of the most annoying. Ultimately, this fraud takes up your time, costs you money, and changes your data badly. If you keep an eye on your ad accounts and show placements on different websites, you can stop it.
We at HexaClicks know how important it is for digital marketers to be honest and trustworthy. As a White Label Digital Marketing Agency, we use cutting-edge ad verification tools and collaborate with trusted ad networks to prevent ad stacking and fraud. Contact HexaClicks, and we’ll help you create clear, effective, and successful ads.
Frequently Asked Questions
How common is Ad stacking?
Ad stacking is a popular method of fabricating ad impressions and clicks, although it is impossible to determine how many sites use it. However, ad fraud is among the most common, outranking even credit card fraud. It accounts for 20% of worldwide ad spending and affects companies of all sizes, from local SMBs to multinational corporations (AdAge).
What is the Google Ad Stack?
The Google ad stack refers to Google’s portfolio of advertising products. This comprises Google Ads, Display & Video 360, the Google Marketing Platform, and AdSense.
What is pixel stuffing?
Pixel stuffing is a form of ad fraud where ads are hidden in 1×1 pixel placements, generating fraudulent impressions without being visible to users. This can result in the advertiser being paid for more ad views or clicks than occurred.
