Google ads with redirection through an intermediate site

[Nagle]

Lately, I've been seeing some Google sponsored links in their own search results which show the name of a legitimate bank, but the link in the Google ad first redirects through Google to a marketing firm, then redirects again to the bank.

At first I thought this was some kind of phishing scheme. (Especially since it comes up when searching for "high yield investment"). But for this to work, Google has to cooperate. Is this a bug in Google being exploited, some kind of click fraud thing, a legitimate tracking system, or what?

[shilly]

It might be an affiliate using a link as the destination url that redirects for tracking purposes?

[evilgreenmonkey]

As shilly noted, this will be an affiliate using the bank's domain as a display URL. The finance sector offers some of the highest affiliate commission rewards around, so you will often find affiliate marketers using PPC to acquire leads on both brand and non brand terms.

:cool:

Rob

[AussieWebmaster]

As shilly noted, this will be an affiliate using the bank's domain as a display URL. The finance sector offers some of the highest affiliate commission rewards around, so you will often find affiliate marketers using PPC to acquire leads on both brand and non brand terms.

:cool:

Rob

Thanks mate - lets get more competition in my space!!!

Guys there is more money in gambling.....

[evilgreenmonkey]

Guys there is more money in gambling.....
Please ignore this comment, it's one of those Australian jokes like you see on Neighbours and Home & Away! ;)

[Nagle]

As shilly noted, this will be an affiliate using the bank's domain as a display URL. What keeps that from being used as a phishing attack vector? That has real fraud potential for directing traffic to a phony site. Does Google permit using arbitrary, unrelated display URLs and actual URLs on AdWords?

[AussieWebmaster]

What keeps that from being used as a phishing attack vector? That has real fraud potential for directing traffic to a phony site. Does Google permit using arbitrary, unrelated display URLs and actual URLs on AdWords?

don't think they like you saying you are IBM but going to some pc wholesale site

[evilgreenmonkey]

What keeps that from being used as a phishing attack vector? That has real fraud potential for directing traffic to a phony site. Does Google permit using arbitrary, unrelated display URLs and actual URLs on AdWords?Google Editorial will usually suspend these URLs when they find them, it only works well on affiliate programs which already use the merchants URL. There are some basic filters in place when the display and clickthrough URL are different, although it's mainly down to Mon-Fri 9-5 Google employees.