The World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) has released guidelines on how brands can best combat ad fraud, which purloined an estimated US$18.5 billion from advertisers’ coffers in 2015.
The report, issued by the WFA in partnership with Botlab.io and its Advertising Fraud Council, is intended to serve as a handbook for online advertisers seeking to protect both their brand and their potential online consumers, whose computers could fall prey to malware from malicious ads and websites.
The document, which is called the Compendium of Ad Fraud Knowledge for Media Investors and available to WFA members, “identifies clear actions” that have been grouped under four general points of advice.
Topping the list is the hiring of in-house experts on ad fraud. Such an individual or team, the report states, can “support vendor selection, work with cyber security partners to help understand common threats and demand full transparency of investment.”
Secondly, when it comes to third-party partners, the report urges setting clear expectations when it comes to metrics and business results, as well as establishing full transparency when sharing data.
And as for where ads are placed, the WFA in somewhat unequivocal. “Brands should avoid run of exchange buys in favour of databases of safe sites,” the association said, in a release. “Advertisers that need to hit digital investment targets may have to accept that these will not be achievable without exposing themselves to high levels of fraud.”
Finally, the WFA recommends there be financial incentives to avoid fraud — penalties set out in contracts for any instance where an ad appears in fraudulent inventory.
“Those elements of the ad tech chain that have benefited from fraudulent activity in the form of commissions and fees should be requested to return them to the advertiser,” said the WFA.
“Advertisers are the sole victim of ad fraud and the WFA wants to equip them with the tools to minimize their exposure,” said Stephan Loerke, the association’s CEO, in the release. “There is much that advertisers can do to improve the situation in terms of setting new standards, contractual changes and increased transparency, but ultimately behaviour change is required across the industry.”
