Google Adsense CPC & Click Fraud

Google have a wealth of Internet power and expertise at their fingertips, and with the onset of the results of the new Adsense API and Code for partners and publishers on the way there is a little idea that could be addressed.

Adsense Publishers and Partners have seemingly been in an invisible Internet War with each other, with unsuccessful Publishers and successful Publishers crying foul at the lower click through CPC, CPM rates and the bids Partners are placing on Adverts.

But is this fair to Google and their Partners?

One could assume that everybody now pays the price for increased competition of competitors who are flogging off ads cheaply and the actions of some Publishers who decided, and still decide, to try and cut corners with Adsense (Click Fraud being one).

Google do have the technical know how on Adsense security and have already implemented so many security procedures to protect their Partners from fraud. It amazes me just how many people out there are still trying to rip-off Google.

I heard some developers talking about proxies, traffic surfing sites and IP blocking which in turn somehow brought up the subject of Adsense. One spark hit on something... why do Google not just simply get an IP shut down by a Broadband/Internet provider if a Publisher is caught being fraudulent and Google can prove categorically that the Publisher was fraudulent?

Surely this kind of punishment is enough to start making Publishers who try cutting corners start thinking a little more about what they are doing?

I mean we're not talking about little Webmaster mistakes like forgetting to place a privacy policy on their Website, or the odd accidental click. I'm talking blatant cheating!

How about the other idea that was churned out?

This involves the Publisher having no ability to click on their own ads in the first place from a proxy or their own IP address. Simply the code would not work if a Publisher clicked it from home or at the office.

Smart IP mapping if it becomes apparent to Google's rather nifty AI systems that an IP is over clicking ads, then a block would be placed on the IP until the IP owner contacted Google with a valid explanation. Then Google can do the investigating and decide if a Publisher should have his account shut down.

Now with this security in mind and the Partner now protected Google could then justify increasing the cost of a minimum bid.

I have to sympathize with those publishers who get low eCPM and CPC, after all a genuine Publisher puts a lot of work into his or her Website. The Publisher is providing an outlet for Google's Partners to broaden their markets. So why not give even the smallest Websites a fairer CPM and CPC?

Google are fantastic though, any Publisher who uses Google Adsense and has the patience and puts in the hours do see good results from using the scheme, but for some Publishers a CPM of $0.01 and a CPC of $0.10 Adsense becomes not worthwhile.

The Publisher could become shy of Adsense or just closes their Website. A loss for Google if you look at it that way and also a loss for the Partners who could have had another valid and genuine advertizing outlet.

I'm all for eradicating the pond scum that continues to flout Google's TOS and be fraudulent, I'm also for some hefty Google punishments for those who commit what really is theft.

Click fraud is probably one of the single most damaging things that a Publisher can do to Google's reputation. If Google didn't terminate suspicious and fraudulent Adsense Accounts, the Publishers would not have the scheme to help monetize their Websites.

I'm also all for Publishers studying further as to how to monetize their Websites with the correct methods and best practices, help is there, there is no need to take short cuts.

Then there is Patience... Adsense money will not flood in overnight, some analysis of a Publishers Website need to be rigorously assessed first by both Google and the Publisher.

And remember guys and girls, read up on the Google Adsense changes and stay knowledgeable and up to speed, so you can counter and changes that might be ahead with Adsense and all will be good.

Source: Google Adsense