The top 10 posts to learn about ad fraud in the mobile ecosystem

Ad fraud continues to be a challenge for app marketers, with new schemes coming up every year. As we work together with our partners and customers to further perfect our ad fraud detection techniques, we want to make sure no piece of news goes under your radar. To that end, we made a curation of go-to content for app marketers looking to learn more about ad fraud and how their teams can minimize its risks and impact.

#1 How to implement an anti-fraud playbook for display partners

Source: Beat, Jampp & Singular

The first step is admitting you have a problem. That’s why we are moving this one to the top of the list. Read the article to learn how Beat, one of the fastest-growing apps in LATAM, worked with Jampp and Singular to implement their anti-fraud playbook for display partners. The post summarizes the measures they put in place to ensure transparency and agile communication.

#2 The marketer’s field guide to mobile ad fraud

Source: AppsFlyer

Ready to start learning about ad fraud but don't know where to start? If you need a fraud 101, our friends at AppsFlyer have put together a comprehensive guide covering the basics of ad fraud and key related terminology. If you want a screenshot of the current landscape, make sure to also check their report: The State of Mobile Ad Fraud – 2020 Edition.

#3 Types of mobile click fraud: Understanding click spam and click injection

Source: Adjust

Click fraud isn’t new, but it hasn’t disappeared either. The good news is that once you understand how it works, you can implement ways to safeguard your ad spend. This post explains how click fraud affects your campaigns, and how to identify it.

#4 How to stop app install fraud and other FAQ

Source: Jampp & Machine Advertising

Once you’re familiar with the basics, it’s important to know which myths and common pitfalls to avoid. Our Q&A with Machine Advertising, a London-based technology company focusing on ad fraud, covers the top FAQ and myths around mobile ad fraud in App User Acquisition.

#5 How mobile ad fraudsters get paid

Source: Singular

This is another FAQ. “Even though the fake or low-quality apps don’t have many real users or much engagement, the fraudsters fake good metrics”, but how do they do it? Part of Singular’s Ad fraud prevention and mobile marketing report, this section describes how fraudsters make money.

#6 Painless Ways To Prevent Ad Fraud

Source: Kochava

Each MMP has its own way of fighting fraud and helping advertisers identify suspicious traffic. Kochava, for example, looks at ad signal clarity. Straightforward and simple, this post gives a few guidelines regarding CPM, ad signal attributes to look out for, and an encouraging reminder not to give up.

#7 5 Keys to Fighting Mobile Ad Fraud

Source: Branch & Jampp

Ok, ready to assume a more proactive stance? In line with the previous post, this collaboration with Branch briefly covers the importance of understanding how the pricing models and KPIs provide different incentives for partners. It also includes a list of simple indicators app marketers should look out for and best practices to further enhance protection.

#8 Fighting Fraud In A Mobile-First World: How Marketers Can Stay Ahead Of In-App IVT

Source: MoPub via AdExchanger

Looking for more best practices? MoPub shares some keys to protecting ad-spend and viewability by removing fraudulent traffic.

#9 It’s not about the numbers, it’s about the sources

Source: White Ops

Short and sweet, this one is a good reminder about the importance of identifying the source of fraudulent activity. At the end of the day, it’s not about defining what an acceptable SIVT percentage is; it’s about working with the right partners to minimize the risk, identify fraud if and when it happens, and collaborate to block those sources. This is a good segway to the last post which, guilty as charged, isn’t really a post...

#10 Supply Takeover Series

It isn’t one post, it’s a series, but we can’t think of a better way for advertisers to learn about programmatic supply than to hear from the top ad exchanges themselves. So, last year, we launched the Supply Takeover Series, which consists of a curated list of questions that covers the main aspects of the supply side of our industry. Our Supply partners share updates about their technology, the metrics they see on their side, as well as insights into how they evaluate the publishers on their exchanges, which is particularly relevant to this post.

• BidMachine | The rise of header bidding and other programmatic trends to watch
• Chartboost | Chartboost on the rising adoption of In-App Bidding
• Fyber | The future of in-app bidding adoption amidst post-IDFA changes
• Mopub | MoPub on Ensuring Supply Quality in Programmatic Advertising
• PubNative | PubNative talks about the initiatives promoting programmatic transparency
• Smaato | Predicting the future of mobile programmatic with Smaato
  

To learn more about Programmatic Supply sign up to receive our upcoming video podcast with Fyber, MoPub, and Smaato.

Wrapping Up

Learning about fraud is an ongoing process. Unfortunately, fraud in our industry is not a static phenomenon, and while we have preventive measures and machine learning on our side, it’s very important to stay vigilant. We need to work together with our partners across the industry to foster transparency.

We hope this selection becomes a useful asset for your team! Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or good content to recommend!