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ad tag imps vs actual pageviews

Discussion in 'Programming' started by Neil M, Jun 28, 2016.

  1. #1
    Hi all... any help would be greatly appreciated. Also, I apologize if this isn't in the right section, but I do feel any programmers would have strong knowledge or experience for this.

    So, the situation:
    This is happening to all ad tags, from 5 different networks - regular display tags (examples, medianet, criteo) and content widget tags (examples, revcontent, outbrain).

    When a page loads that has an ad tag on it, it should record an impression to that ad tag id.For Display networks, even if not filled, it still does show an impression vs impression taken (fill rates). For Widget networks, it is always filled no matter what (as you get paid on cpc anyway).

    So, if we have 100,000 pageviews, and we have a specific ad tag on that site, it should load 100% of the time right? It should record 100,000 impressions right? (give or take 5%).Well, for the past several weeks, this has not matched up for us. All our ad tags, are typically showing 40% less impressions then we are actually seeing in pageviews.

    We have tried everything. Our site load time is fantastic, and we visual see the ads. However, nothing we have tried has fixed the issue. It basically is destroying our ROI and revenue for our site. The last thing we are trying is switching servers, hoping that it was a server issue - but in reality, is that a possible problem? This is our last resort.

    Has anyone had this issue before? I'm sure it has happened to others. We are getting desperate. Any info or knowledge any one has would be much appreciated. Plugins, js code, php files, malware??? anything?

    To note: We were fine before, and no discrepancies for the first few month of operating our website (ad tag imps vs actual pageviews were bang on or within 3%). It appears to start a couple months ago (with random days in a row at times being fine again). Since early June, it has been consistently above 35% lower ad imps to actual pageviews. We have made no changes during this time that should have this affect.

    Thank you very much for any info that can provided.
     
    Neil M, Jun 28, 2016 IP
  2. Neil M

    Neil M Peon

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    #2
    Also I should note, we are not using an ad server and all ad tags and/or code is placed directly on site.
     
    Neil M, Jun 28, 2016 IP
  3. deathshadow

    deathshadow Acclaimed Member

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    #3
    Most likely reason? 60% of your pageviews are from users using an adblock... since only halfwits browse the web without one.

    PARTICULARLY the sleazeball hives of scum and villainy you listed as advertising sources. Hell, if I'd not be surprised if a couple of those you listed didn't trip the malware blocker built into chrome these days... which if that comes up, that can REALLY bone your reputability.

    I'd have to see the site in question, but most likely people telling you to take your advertising and shove it is the most likely cause. It's part of why a LOT of web developers tell anything other than adsense to take a flying leap, and recognize that outside of porn, showing ads for revenue is a dead end unless your content is that damned good, and that damned fresh all the time so that ever decreasing number of mouth-breathers still seeing ads keep sufficient throughput.

    Of all the crazy places to have a legitimate video explaining where advertising in general is headed, Cracked did a really good job.
     
    deathshadow, Jun 28, 2016 IP
  4. Neil M

    Neil M Peon

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    #4
    Thank you for your input DeathShadow.

    This seems like a completely plausible explanation. As said, we have exhausted other outlets. And our page load times are fantastic compared to other sites in the same niche. I just didn't think adblockers were that common were a 40%+ reduction in actual ad impressions would occur.

    Perhaps there is a tool, plugin or code you can install on your site that will 'block out' the adblockers. Or 'hide' the ad tags so they aren't visible or recognizable to an ablocker.

    I do have some colleauges in the same niche as us, and they do not have these issues. However, I do know they all use an ad server. Perhaps using an adserver hides the actual adtag code, or scrambles it from the adblockers somehow.

    And does Google adsense actually get an exception from adblockers (since they are king of jungle).

    Once again, thank you for your input, very much appreciated. I've also inboxed you. cheers!
     
    Neil M, Jun 28, 2016 IP
  5. deathshadow

    deathshadow Acclaimed Member

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    #5
    Blocking the adblockers is one of the fastest ways to make users not visit your sites. ALL that's going to do is decrease your overall traffic to a trickle. Sites that try and pull that stunt are the fast road to "screw it, I'll go somewhere else".

    From what you showed my via PM of the site, and the things you've said about "We buy traffic" pretty well indicates to me you've bought into the SCAM of making clickbait sites for advertising, something that is guaranteed long term to be a pointless money-pit doomed to failure. I've never seen one that lasted more than three months -- ESPECIALLY if you are DUPED into the ignorant nonsense of paying for traffic -- that did any better than breaking even after about 3 months.

    It's a bunch of hoodoo-voodoo that only about 1 in 100 sites can actually pull off, particularly if you're in the business of click-bait images... what makes that determining factor between success and failure still escapes me as so far as I can tell, there is ZERO reason for ANY sites of this nature to EVER be successful or show a profit in the first place.

    As evidenced by the fact that on my systems even on the browser I use to test ads, neither your site nor the one you linked to are showing ads, meaning it's blocked at the ROUTER level here. (As I even have certain address ranges blocked there)

    Online advertising is sleazy scam artist nonsense, that much like all the other dirtbag bull (paid traffic, SEO "experts", off the shelf content management software like turdpress, affiliate marketing) all it does is take the naive and hopeful, put the saddle on them, and take them for a ride.

    Now all that said, I'm a little surprised if you have legitimate non-paid traffic. There's a complete lack of actual CONTENT (aka TEXT) on your site's pages. 301 bytes of text, one content image, and nothing remotely resembling semantic markup whilst still pissing all over the place with 23k of markup (basically doing 5k's job) is the fast-road to NOT having ANY legitimate/organic traffic. Likewise whilst you have endless pointless advert code on the page (none of which I can even get to show here) you don't have a single "share on social media" present to further enhance your throughput of legitimate visitors.

    Without anything to draw users in, it seems highly unlikely you would have ANY "traffic of value". Remember, text is the first class citizen of the web, having none means you don't have anything for search to work with... social media is the fastest way to promote your content, without it you have no promotion, so how exactly are you magically expecting to have legitimate users even show up?!?

    You also mentioned it loading fast in your PM, and, well... methinks we have different definitions of that. It was around 30 seconds with adblock running, and took over three minutes once I "dropped my shields" to have a look at the full page. This is because the full-blown version of the site is a ape-shit ridiculous 10 megabytes spanning 472 files. In handshaking (file requests) ALONE on a first load that's a minute and 30 real world average, and a worst case scenario of over five minutes! Too many separate files, too many images, too much goofy scripttard crap. It's DESIGNED to drive legitimate users away from it. IF I was trying to turn that into a legitimate site, I'd be pitching 90% of it it the bin and starting over from scratch.

    Oh and if you think ANY of that ridiculous "paid traffic" nonsense is going to actually count as advertising impressions, someone's REALLY packed you full of it... though really given the intent and nature of the site, we already established that it appears someone put the saddle on you and took you for a ride.

    Apologies if that seems a bit harsh, but there's a lot of dimestore hoodoo out there preying on people's hopes and fears, and sadly I think you may have fallen into that trap.
     
    deathshadow, Jun 29, 2016 IP
  6. deathshadow

    deathshadow Acclaimed Member

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    #6
    Oh, and just to illustrate the ongoing WAR between advertisers and blocking... there was this idiotic nonsensical adblock blocker some sites tried to implement... lasted maybe a week before...

    http://thenextweb.com/apps/2016/02/11/around-and-around-we-go/

    It's a bit like DRM and software... damned few DRM packages have ever worked permanently short of "always online" -- and even then... The amount of money sunk into trying to prevent piracy has historically been a giant money-pit and a effort in futility; and in the handful of cases it has worked, it's often been to the detriment of the product.

    Which is why CD Projekt Red wtih their DRM-free releast of Witcher 3 is making the rest of gaming industry look like it's run by drooling idiots. Likely the most profitable game of the past year, without any anti-piracy measures... in fact they've sold more copies of the two expansions than they did copies of the base game.
     
    deathshadow, Jun 29, 2016 IP