New Free Tool: PPC Click Fraud Monitoring

[Jeff Martin]

Mike Waltman (seomike) and I (Jeff Martin) have developed a full featured free pay per click fraud monitoring service called VeriClix (http://www.vericlix.com/).

This new service is purely sponsor driven. We developed this service to allow everyone to monitor and track all of their PPC activity with an eye toward fraud. We didn’t feel that it was right to charge users because:

1) We feel the search engines should already be providing full disclosure of the activity of an advertiser's campaigns.

2) As more and more money pours into PPC (as much as $10 billion by 2008) advertisers will be more and more at risk. Scammers always follow the money and competitors are always looking to get the advantage. PPC, as it stands now, provides them both with a unique opportunity.

VeriClix works as most other tracking services, you paste a snip of JavaScript on the bottom of your landing pages and each PPC visit is recorded. If fraud is detected you are alerted in real-time. Users can create custom reports, export these in a variety of formats and take action as they deem fit.

It’s all about empowering the advertiser...period.

[projectphp]

Why does everyone use javascript?

Turn scripting off. Click fraud is go.

[Jeff Martin]

Why does everyone use javascript?
Its one of the best ways to assure the simplicity of installation for advertisers and makes the code very portable.

Turn scripting off. Click fraud is go.
Of all the logs Ive seen off all of the sites I have ever managed over the last eight years, and from what colleagues have told me and from what I have read through independant reporting, the number of people who turn off JavaScript is very very small.

Unless advertisers allow for code installation on their servers, which for some companies is just not possible and for others is a red tape nightmare this is one of the best solutions which makes it probably the most popular.

Since this service is free, advertisers have nothing to lose and will gain a wealth of knowledge about their campaigns compared to what they engines are currently willing to show them.

[projectphp]

Of all the logs Ive seen off all of the sites I have ever managed over the last eight years, and from what colleagues have told me and from what I have read through independant reporting, the number of people who turn off JavaScript is very very small.
This is still probably larger, I assume, than the number of people actively engaged in Click Fraud ;)

Since this service is free, advertisers have nothing to lose and will gain a wealth of knowledge about their campaigns compared to what they engines are currently willing to show them.
And that is certainly a good "selling" point ;)

Not trying to rubbish your offerring (far from it), but my issue is just that I really don't see what types of click fraud a JavaScript based solution will catch beyond the incredibly stupid.

If that is really such a problem, Wow, I am stunned!!!!

[seomike]

I know what you're saying. That is why Jeff (an asp programmer) and I (a php programmer) decided to burry the open/closed source hatchet and do this project. The platform code is written but we decided to keep the guts of vericlix on our server for the average joe blow. :D

[Jeff Martin]

I really don't see what types of click fraud a JavaScript based solution will catch beyond the incredibly stupid.
Then Im seeing alot of incredibly stupid people in the activity reports.

Not all those with ill intent are devious with doctorate degrees. Dont you ever watch Cops?

:D LOL I love those zaney criminals

[Jeff Martin]

We have received a few emails asking if you have to pay for your exported reporting.

The answer is no. I did hear of a new click fraud service that would monitor your ppc activity then if they noticed suspicious activity that they would then try to charge you for your reports.

VeriClix is purely sponsor driven with zero cost to users.

[TrustNo1]

What are you doing with any info/data that is collected, if anything. Are you planning on adding a Privacy Policy or Terms and Conditions.

[Jeff Martin]

TrustNo1 - interesting username

What are you doing with any info/data that is collected, if anything. The data is stored in a database that is restricted by the users username and password. We take no action with client stored data.

Are you planning on adding a Privacy Policy or Terms and Conditions. Yes, we are drafting one and when we are satisifed with it we will post it.

[Mikkel deMib Svendsen]

Any experience yet if the engines will refund based on these reports? After all, unless you really enjoy just looking at reports for its own sake (which I dont :)) I assume that the real purpose for most of us is to get refunds for non-converting clicks.

[Jeff Martin]

I too would be very interested to hear others experiences. My latest inquiry neted a client about $140 credit from G.

[Jeff Martin]

Are you planning on adding a Privacy Policy or Terms and Conditions. We burned the midnight oil and have published our privacy policy. We arent lawyers but we believe we covered most people's concerns.

[surchgirl]

Who is sponsoring this free service? Someone must be making money or getting leads out of this...

[Jeff Martin]

VeriClix is funded by those who wish to use the VeriClix system commercially. That is, charge others to a fee for managing their click fraud issues. The service is still free to individual advertisers.

If you have more questions, catch me at SES in Chicago. I will be answering questions on the Auditing Paid Listings & Click Fraud Issues panel (http://www.jupiterevents.com/sew/fall05/agenda4.html).