My main concern has to do with the same user clicking an ad twice. I've determined that if the same person clicks an ad and then clicks the exact same ad a couple minutes later using the same keywords, the advertiser gets billed for two separate clicks. This isn't fair to the advertiser. Google should have in place some controls/grace period that discounts clicks from the same individual. Is it fair that I get double billed because someone clicks and ad, hits the back button on their web browser and then clicks an ad again?
Analyzing my stats from a small ad group today, google reports that I had 20 clicks. I see all 20 clicks in my logs, but determined that those 20 clicks represent 13 unique users. In one case, the same user clicks the same ad 4 times within 13 minutes. In another case, someone runs three separate searches on google, brings up the same adwords ad via all three searches and clicks on all three. I also find that 4 of the 13 individuals are repeat clickers from yesterday.
What's google's position on this? What sort of controls do they have in place to prevent adwords advertisers from being defrauded out of their money? What's to prevent me from creating a small bot that clicks on someone's ad every two minutes out of spite?
And yes, this is all from the search network. I don't have the content network turned on, so we're not talking about people clicking adsense ads.
This is certainly not fair to us advertisers as these are not unique clicks at all.
Would be interesting to see how AWA respond to this :)
I see all 20 clicks in my logs, but determined that those 20 clicks represent 13 unique users. In one case, the same user clicks the same ad 4 times within 13 minutes.
OK, you see it in your logs.
Deas it mean you are charged for it? I am not sure.
I would say: check how much is your "Adjustment" (in the Billing Summary) after they will charge you.
This seems to suggest that my effective cost per click is actually higher than the amount I've selected. No, it doesn't seem fair.
Would be interesting to see how AWA respond to this :)
...I've determined that if the same person clicks an ad and then clicks the exact same ad a couple minutes later using the same keywords, the advertiser gets billed for two separate clicks. This isn't fair to the advertiser. Google should have in place some controls/grace period that discounts clicks from the same individual.
Milesmi - there are, in fact, multiple levels of controls in place. I'd actually suggest writing to AdWords support for a more detailed answer. But here are a couple of important observations:
* Individual users may legitimately click on your ad more than once when comparison shopping or returning to your site for more details. Sort of the online equivalent of shopping at a mall, and walking into the same store multiple times, while comparison shopping.
* Multiple clicks from a single source may be due to an Internet provider assigning identical IP addresses to multiple users. In some cases, literally hundreds of unique visitor will be assigned the same IP address.
OK, you see it in your logs.
Deas it mean you are charged for it? I am not sure.
This is a really excellent question - and point - dave741. Because one sees a click in one's logs does not mean that the advertiser has been charged for it. Every impression and click is filtered, and many impressions and clicks are 'thrown out' - with the advertiser not being charged for the discarded clicks.
Yes, these were all paid clicks. I've got that ad group set to rock bottom (5 cents per click) and I was charged $1.00 for all 20 clicks even though it should have only been $0.65.
Comparing server logs to stats is not as straightforward as one might imagine. Be sure to account for time zone differences, and the fact that there is typically a three hour delay before stats are delivered to the Campaign Summary page. It may be a little longer still, before the stats are updated at the keyword (Ad Group) level. (It is during this three hour delay, BTW, that the filtering mentioned above occurs.)
By the way, if the comparison is being done using third party tools, and not the actual server logs, then comparison is even more problematic.
More info here, from the AdWords FAQ:
AdWords click quality
[adwords.google.com...]
AWA
Watch your logs for identical searches from the same referrer that are repeated exactly 12 minutes apart. I'm sure these are from some clicker army trying to beat some known 10 minute rule. They tend to aim for the very cliche kind of phrases they believe get the top bids.
My response has been to just keep cutting down the bids on them. I've learned to choose my battles wisely.
patient2all
* Multiple clicks from a single source may be due to an Internet provider assigning identical IP addresses to multiple users. In some cases, literally hundreds of unique visitor will be assigned the same IP address....
I think AOL is one of those. We have gotten orders on our store from totally different people hundreds of miles apart that showed the same IP.
