Offers Insights into How to Avoid ‘Bots’ and Other Hazards That Lead to Wasted Impressions and Inaccurate Audience Metrics
NEW YORK, NY — The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and its Traffic of Good Intent Task Force have issued the final version of “Best Practices – Traffic Fraud: Reducing Risk to Exposure,” after a 36-day public comment period that ended on January 10. The document explains and analyzes robotic traffic, or “bots,” and other forms of online traffic fraud that can derail marketers’ campaigns by producing illegitimate impressions and skewing audience data. It then gives concrete recommendations that publishers, networks and buyers can use to mitigate these risks.
“Our new best practices lay the groundwork for how we can fight back against online traffic fraud with specific procedures designed to curtail this criminal activity and limit its impact,” said Steve Sullivan, Vice President, Advertising Technology, IAB. “When robotic traffic is counted alongside that of real potential consumers, it becomes tremendously difficult for publishers and ad networks to produce accurate reports and for marketers to reach people with their carefully targeted messages – decreasing the value of legitimate advertising inventory. The release of these finalized best practices is an important step against the increasing forces of traffic fraud.”
“Fraudulent traffic is an especially difficult problem due to its pervasive nature and overall complexity,” said John Battelle, Executive Chair, sovrn Holdings, Inc., Founder, Federated Media Publishing, and co-Chair of the IAB Traffic of Good Intent Task Force. “This set of best practices from IAB provides a solid framework for addressing this criminal roadblock and we encourage every publisher, network, and buyer to begin implementing these procedures so that we can drive these bad actors from our industry”.
“This document is a rallying cry for the industry to stand up against the pernicious threat of fraudulent traffic,” said Tom Phillips, CEO, Dstillery, and co-Chair of the IAB Traffic of Good Intent Task Force. “The best practices outlined here are just the beginning of what must be a dramatic change in mindset and a sustained battle against online fraud.”
To download “Best Practices – Traffic Fraud: Reducing Risk to Exposure,” please visit iab.net/trafficgoodintent.
About the IAB
The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is comprised of more than 600 leading media and technology companies that are responsible for selling 86% of online advertising in the United States. On behalf of its members, the IAB is dedicated to the growth of the interactive advertising marketplace, of interactive’s share of total marketing spend, and of its members’ share of total marketing spend. The IAB educates marketers, agencies, media companies and the wider business community about the value of interactive advertising. Working with its member companies, the IAB evaluates and recommends standards and practices and fields critical research on interactive advertising. Founded in 1996, the IAB is headquartered in New York City with a Public Policy office in Washington, D.C. For more information, please visit iab.net.
