Dubious clicks from the content network?

Discussion in 'Google AdWords' started by etzpcm, May 11, 2007.

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  1. #1
    I am getting a lot of clicks (100 per day) from the content network.
    Looking at my html logs, these appear to come from a few chinese
    sites (example www.cancer80.cn). These sites are not related to my ad
    and when I look at them they dont seem to be hosting my ad.
    Is this 'click fraud' and what I can I do about it?
    I dont really want to disable the content network completely
    though I may have to do that.
    I know I can block certain sites and I have done that,
    but the urls change every couple of days.
    Any advice?
     
    etzpcm, May 11, 2007 IP
  2. T0PS3O

    T0PS3O Feel Good PLC

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    #2
    E-mail Google your logs, highlighting the dodgy ones. I did that and they were very approachable.
     
    T0PS3O, May 11, 2007 IP
  3. Huligan

    Huligan Peon

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    #3
    I have run into some similar experiences with using the content network. Unfortunately, to use the content network I feel like I have to monitor it constantly in my higher CPC campaigns. Good luck.
     
    Huligan, May 11, 2007 IP
  4. movidalatina

    movidalatina Well-Known Member

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    #4
    I feel for you ETZCPM, but you are 1 in millions
    of adwords users being taken for a ride. it's called
    Wall Street quarter earnings report.
     
    movidalatina, May 13, 2007 IP
  5. etzpcm

    etzpcm Peon

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    #5
    I sent some logs to google as suggested by Tops30.
    They said that there were no invalid clicks and things were normal.
    This seems strange given that my content CTRs for my 4 ads are
    ad1 ad2 ad3 ad4
    0.1% 0.2% 0.1% 4%
    - clearly something is fishy with ad4 having a CTR 40 times higher than the others. Also when I blocked one site another one would appear with almost the same url, hosting the same material (irrelevant to my campaign) and as far as I can see not even hosting my ad. I eventually solved the problem by reducing the content network bid, but I fear this has lost me some genuine content ads.
     
    etzpcm, May 31, 2007 IP