Microsoft+URL+Control

the dirty little secret

[alangrah]

I've been doing a lot of research on the Microsoft URL Control showing up in my logs. I've read all the comments in the forum saying "oh its just a bot looking for email addresses to SPAM you" and alot of relatively benign reasons. No, not necessarily. You shouldn't filter this guy out if you're paying per-click for advertising.

Sites hit by Microsoft URL Control that I don't pay anyone for advertising: 0%

Sites hit by Microsoft URL Control that I do pay for advertising: 100%

When 30-50% of my advertising budget is wasted on these useless clicks, its time to sound off to someone. If I can make the connection back to the advertiser, I see a major class action lawsuit coming. Clearly these people are being paid to do what they're doing, its just a matter of figuring out where that money is coming from.

I've gone ahead and written tracking software for my site(s) that will accurately measure the real click-throughs with a non-cachable GIF that will be loaded when landing on the homepage.

Of course I've complained to the advertiser about this fraud, but frankly I don't want to argue with them every month about something they know is going on and could be so easily corrected (like they couldn't check the UA string). I'm sure the botters will just start impersonating an IE UA (and already have...) but 10-20 clicks per day from the same IP address is fraudulent behavior.

I'm definitely looking into a CPM model for advertising now, but I since I've seen no mention of this anywhere, from anyone, I thought it was about time someone sounded off.

[Old Welsh Guy]

I know this reply has been a long time coming but I get these hits, and I do NOT use PPC or any other ofrm of paid advertising.