Can you afford not to invest in ad fraud protection?

Ad fraud wants to steal your profits Companies are losing over $88 billion globally to ad fraud, according to Statista. And a Juniper Research study revealed that 22% of all online ad spend was lost to ad fraud in 2023.

All this points to the uncomfortable truth that a substantial percentage of your revenue is at risk when you advertise online.

Where to focus your energy Findings from the ANA's first quarterly Programmatic Transparency Benchmark Study, in partnership with TAG TrustNet, affirm progress is being made in the area of ad fraud.

We've combined their advice with learnings from the IAB Europe's Ad Fraud in Digital Advertising' Webinar to give you 5 key takeaways to tackle ad fraud:

Focus on where you want to be - Prioritise the creation and use of inclusion' lists versus exclusion' lists and update these lists monthly. Buy through direct inventory supply paths with a focus on trusted sellers'.

Understand the territory- Become familiar with the supply chain by identifying, and then optimising, the channels and platforms being used in your programmatic campaigns. The ANA advises pulling a standard report from your DSP (Demand-Side Platform) as a first step.

Get independently certified - In the words of UKSAFC's Chairman Ian Moss: Having a certification in place, complete with trust badges as proof of compliance, will give advertisers a clear benchmark to follow, and motivate them to only work with other certified entities.

The effectiveness of certification within the supply chain is supported by research. For example, the Trustworthy Accountability Group (TAG)'s annual European Fraud Benchmark Report found a 62% reduction in Invalid Traffic (IVT) in TAG-certified channels (where three or more participants adopted TAG's anti-fraud standards) when compared with non-certified channels.

Work with trusted partners - If you're working with others in the chain, ensure they embody the same standards you do. What credentials do they have and are they independently audited? Industry Certification is a clear sign that best practice processes are being applied to minimise risk.

Use multiple tools - Enhance protection by combining these steps with transparency initiatives such as ads.txt, app ads.txt, sellers.json, blockchain technologies, etc.

Invest in change You might not be able to eradicate fraud, but you can adopt best-practice security measures that offer you and your clients protection.

These may take time and money to implement at first, but they'll cost you less in the long run and protect you from greater harm.

Put these measures in place, stay updated on the latest advice and tools, and you're on your way to minimising the risks posed by ad fraud.

Your next steps to certification...

Start by checking out TAG's ad fraud certification programme,

Then contact us to achieve your independent certification against fraud.

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