Log Files vs Javascript Code

Thursday, May 22nd, 2008

I have written in the past about the various mechanics of click fraud software on the market, but I thought I would extend on this and talk about the benefits of log file analysis versus javascript tag implementations.

If you have checked out my consultancy page, you will see I am a fan of log file analaysis, in this post I will say why I hold this position, and it is due to two incredibly important facts

You can Disable javascript on your browser

Users have the option to disable javascript on their browser. As JS is client side scripting language, if the browser is not prepared to run your script, there is no way to capture metrics on the visit. Any tech-savvie click fraudster will disable javascript as their first port of call. This then renders your click fraud tool useless.

Some bots can be in and out before a script is loaded.

Analysis of certain click bots has shown that they can hit your site, register a click with Google and drop off your site, before your javascript has had time to load up and capture the visit details. This visit will however be recorded in your web servers log files.

How to Test This

Don’t belive me, then here is a quick test in another area of log file vs javascript to prove the problems with scripted implementations.

1) Review your traffic data from a log file analysis package such as webalizer

2) Review your traffic data from a javascript service such as Google analytics.

I am prepared to bet that your visits will be higher on the log file to javascript package. This is due to a number of factors including the two outlined above.

As a parting word I would like to say that there are some instances where javascript tags are the only way to analyse your traffic, for example if your ISP does not give you access to your logs in a hosted environment. If that is the case, go with the scripts, the more evidence you have, the better your chance of a refund from the search engines.

Tags: click fraud software
Posted in Features, How To | 1 Comment »

Click Quality And Facebook Social Ads

Tuesday, May 20th, 2008

I have been doing a lot of work with Facebook social ads recently, and thought it would be a good time to write about the click quality issues I see with their program.

Why Use Social Network Ads?

As the strangle hold on Internet traffic by Google increases and the Yahoo/Microsoft partnership rumbles on and on, there is very little leverage an advertiser can bring to bear on Google in an effort to improve their advertising deal. There is an emerging option in the Social networks, in particular the ones developing their own pay per click advertising rather than partnering with the big search engines (Bebo/Yahoo, MySpace/Google).

What Are Facebook Social Ads?

Facebook has created it’s own advertising scheme where CPC or CPM ads can be displayed on the bottom left hand side of a Facebook user’s profile and example is shown below. In this case the ad is for Hilton Hotels.

The system allows a small text only or image and text ad to be created. This can then be linked to a site external to Facebook or to a page create on the site to advertise goods or services.

Due to the nature of the site and the information you supply, there is a lot of demographic targeting available for advertisers. Your ad can be targeted to location, sex, keywords (pre-defined in Facebook), age and educational status.

Facebook actions Social Actions are the novel part of this service. You ad can be displayed next to the normal social actions of Facebooks users. For example my friend Joe Bloggs buys tickets for the band The Click Quality Consultants (they are an indie guitar band - very cool). If this band were running a Facebook ad with social actions enabled, the ad would be displayed next to my friends updates, possibly making me click on their ad to buy tickets too.

The system uses a costing model similar to Google. You set a max cost per click for your ad, then a bidding system kicks in and if your max CPC is higher than your rival, your ad is dispalyed.  You cost per click is also automatically reduced to 1 cent above your competitor in line with the Google model.

With an auidience of 70 million users growing by an estimated 250k per day, this is not a Google size or even Yahoo sized audience, but it has an engaged focused group of users which, when targeted correctly can provide decent returns for advertiers.

The Problems/Benefits As I see Them.

• My main concern is with the pricing of ads. In a Google or Yahoo campaign, I can see who I am competing with. With a Facebook ad, you must take it on on (forgive the pun) face value. Since there are no metrics to analyse, how do I know that Facebook is not artificially inflating the prices?
• All clicks have their referrer marked as Facebook, so it is difficult to find out which clicks are organic Facebook activity and which are paid for. This makes analysis of the traffic difficult.
• There is no way to create an exclusion list. If a Facebook users was maliciously clicking on your ads, you must manually contact the Ad support team for an investigation.
• Analysis of the conversion rate, depth, length and bounce rate of Facebook clicks found that this was comparable on the site I was working with to organic traffic, so I can conclude in this instance that the click quality from Facebook was as good as organic Google traffic.
• Text ads do not work on Facebook. As can been seen from the image above, a Facebook profile is very busy. A split test of text only versus image and text showed a 230%+ difference in click through. You need a compelling image ad for Facebook ad sucess.
• The system is not as mature as the search engines programs, this leads me to think that their click fraud filters will not be as advanced, therefore click fraud will slip through unnoticed.
• There is no content network of advertisers taking a cut for clicks, so publisher click fraud is not an issue.
• Excellent demographics.  If you have a product which matches the audience it is a brilliant way to advertise.

Further Information

I am talking about this subject in much greater details at this months Webinar from the Click Quality Coucil, check out their website for details on how to join this event.

Tags: social network click quality
Posted in Features | 7 Comments »

End of My blogging Sabatical

Sunday, May 4th, 2008

I have take about six weeks off from updating this blog to concentrate on a special project from one of my clients. This has taken up the majority of my time so I have not had time to update this blog.

I am happy to say the project is at an end and normal service is now being resumed.

During this break there have been a number of things of note to write about, most of all the partnership between Yahoo and Click Forensics. I will be dicussing what this suggests in posts very soon.

I have been asked to talk at the monthly Click Quality Council meeting for May. I am looking forward to that a great deal. The work of the Click Quality Council is very important in the fight against click fraud, I will begin to write more blogs about their work in the future.

Thanks for bearing with the pause in service - Neil Matthews

Tags: Click Fraud
Posted in News | No Comments »