Is Google Cheating you on Adwords?

dburdon · #1 (**permalink**) 11-21-2008, 02:03 PM

I am involved in running more than 30 campaigns on Google Adwords and Yahoo search marketing. Some of the campaigns go back 4 or 5 years. Client spend ranges into the tens of thousand per month. From time to time I spot traffic that looks suspiciously like click fraud. By unchecking the content tab and keeping a particular eye on traffic from search partners I believe I minimised the click fraud risks.

Virtually all the campaigns are tracked by some form of analytics. I tend to use a combination of Google Analytics or the paid version of Statcounter. For larger campaigns Google Analytics has the edge because it is much better managing aggregate data. For smaller campaigns and B2B campaigns with a high unit lead value I prefer to use Statcounter as it can drill down and track the individual visitor behaviour. On some websites I even combine the two systems.

In recent months I've become aware of a widening in the reported activity coming from Google Adwords and that reported by the analytics systems. Recent analysis shows a general error of around 4%. And the error is always positive. That is, the Google Adwords reported volume exceeds the volume detected by the analytics programme.

I've read and contributed to threads on this forum and other where individual members have vented their frustration at Google's intransigence and arrogance on the issue. Obviously Google have a position of trust to manage on Adwords. After all it represents 99% of their revenue. However, the benefits of dealing with Google generally - but not always - outweigh the risks. And the regulators have been alerted to their monopoly position in paid search perhaps Google may start showing a more vigilant approach.

However, plaudits aside, I've been prompted to write this contribution on the behalf of a client. The client just hasn't had a shortfall on the Adwords traffic versus Adwords charges. For several days they received no traffic from Google Adwords despite being charged for clicks. The website is properly tracked and the Adwords account has the auto-tagging feature activated. Yet no Adwords traffic has been delivered. The client has made test clicks, I have made test clicks and, I believe from IP addresses detected, that Google has made test clicks. All of these have been detected by the analytics programme. Yet no actual, genuine Adwords traffic has been delivered. None. Zilch.

The client is a small business and has asked me to pursue Google for a refund or credit note. Google's Dublin office refuses to budge on the matter. Claiming their "experts" have examined the click stream and cannot detect any failings in their [infallible] system. [my brackets].

Google have a monopoly. Where else can the client go? In my opinion Google's success has led to arrogance and hubris. and a disdain for the small businesses that helped build them. This particular client has been using Google Adwords for almost 5 years. Given, that even in the UK, Google are now the largest single advertising player with a turnover in excess of £2 billion ($3 billion), it is time that some external controls were placed on the Adwords platform. No other business of this scale would be able to self-audit and self-police its output.

After all, if Google is charging for as little of 4% of its £2 billion clicks turnover it amounts to £80 million ($120 million). Imagine the sums that could be incorrectly being billed in markets such as the US.

carpediem · #2 (**permalink**) 11-22-2008, 01:36 AM

Quote:

The client is a small business and has asked me to pursue Google for a refund or credit note.

In our case, we overwhelmed them with facts - we submitted spreadsheets with gclid's, click paths of the IP in question and managed to get a refund regarding click fraud. However, if I understand you correctly, it sounds as though you did not receive any clicks but you saw charges? Do you have access to the raw server logs to verify that no clicks were recorded during the time period in question?

Quote:

Google have a monopoly. Where else can the client go? In my opinion Google's success has led to arrogance and hubris. and a disdain for the small businesses that helped build them.

Agreed.

Best,

~Danielle

**cw1865** · #3 (**permalink**) 11-22-2008, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dburdon

In recent months I've become aware of a widening in the reported activity coming from Google Adwords and that reported by the analytics systems. Recent analysis shows a general error of around 4%. And the error is always positive. That is, the Google Adwords reported volume exceeds the volume detected by the analytics programme.

Excellent comment.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dburdon

I've read and contributed to threads on this forum and other where individual members have vented their frustration at Google's intransigence and arrogance on the issue. Obviously Google have a position of trust to manage on Adwords. After all it represents 99% of their revenue. However, the benefits of dealing with Google generally - but not always - outweigh the risks. And the regulators have been alerted to their monopoly position in paid search perhaps Google may start showing a more vigilant approach.

In the long run it will behoove them to be 'trusted'

Quote:

Originally Posted by dburdon

For several days they received no traffic from Google Adwords despite being charged for clicks.

Hmmm, interesting. You know, many times, I will click on a google sponsored ad and the screen simply will not open. Is it possible that people are clicking on the ad, but not actually getting through to the website (for one reason or another).

The second thing is that on some of the websites where I do run adwords (and I am a really SMALL adwords 'player') I have noted certain google credits (say .01 or .02 where there are no clicks, but many impressions). Is it possible that you get charged for impressions in addition to clicks?

The client is a small business and has asked me to pursue Google for a refund or credit note. Google's Dublin office refuses to budge on the matter. Claiming their "experts" have examined the click stream and cannot detect any failings in their [infallible] system. [my brackets].

Quote:

Originally Posted by dburdon

Google have a monopoly. Where else can the client go? In my opinion Google's success has led to arrogance and hubris. and a disdain for the small businesses that helped build them. This particular client has been using Google Adwords for almost 5 years. Given, that even in the UK, Google are now the largest single advertising player with a turnover in excess of £2 billion ($3 billion), it is time that some external controls were placed on the Adwords platform. No other business of this scale would be able to self-audit and self-police its output.

Part of the problem is that the 'product' is EXTREMELY difficult to track and analyze. But you are correct, ultimately you have to decide if google is worth it. Your options are to deal or not to deal.

I also agree that google has a commanding share of the market. It would be a difficult monopoly to break up. Are we going to have 'baby googles'? (google/yahoo/msn is more akin to an oligarchy)

Quote:

Originally Posted by dburdon

After all, if Google is charging for as little of 4% of its £2 billion clicks turnover it amounts to £80 million ($120 million). Imagine the sums that could be incorrectly being billed in markets such as the US.

In theory (and again this is just a theory), if google is overbilling, well, then that would simply depress the bid amount. Ultimately the market isn't really 'buying clicks', they're 'buying' sales. Ultimately if you rely on adwords for lead generation you must 'cost out' click fraud (whether its ghost clicks reported by google or actual click fraud).

I enjoyed your post, because now its not only click fraud, it appears google is churning accounts too.

Martinscholes · #4 (**permalink**) 11-23-2008, 07:11 PM

Now, that's interesting. I have noticed something weird about Adsense on my sites. I have Adsense on 20+ sites and up until recently was earning a reasonable sum every month.

Suddenly, although I am still getting the same number of Page impressions, the click through rate has dropped on most days to zero.

I am still putting the same level of content on the sites.

But I wonder if a problem might have occurred at Google's end? People could well be clicking on adverts and these, for some reason, or not showing up for either advertiser or publisher?

Fraud or C-up, I wonder?

dburdon · #5 (**permalink**) 11-24-2008, 05:40 AM

Carpediem, CW1865, MartinScholes,

many thanks for your responses.

The client in question is running 2 other campaigns on different websites but using the same server and web analytics (Statcounter).

No problems have been detected on these campaigns - apart from the general 4% under delivery.

Google Dublin appear to have tried test clicks from the Adwords campaign interface and these have been detected by the analytics. Interestingly enough it looks like the Google Dublin account manager even checked out the campaign (and my own website) over the weekend.

This is a small client where Adwords represents a large share of their marketing spend. Seems that Google Dublin are happy to throw away a whole lot goodwill for such a small sum.

Martinscholes · #6 (**permalink**) 11-24-2008, 06:17 AM

I am considering pulling Adsense from my sites and going direct to potential advertisers to look for sponsorship deals on my sites. Obviously not much of an income loss for Google, but as Tesco says, "Every little helps!"

And eventually if enough people say:"Ah, the Hell with Google Adsense!" it might start to impact on their bottom line.

peginald · #7 (**permalink**) 11-25-2008, 04:54 AM

Another 'cheat' I seem to be seeing is on bid prices. I am the only bidder on certain keywords, and yet I always seem to get charged towards the top end of my bid - surely if I am bidding (up to) 10p and nobody else is bidding I should be getting clicks for a lot less?

Reduce the bid too far, however, and Adwords won't bother to show the ad!

Martinscholes · #8 (**permalink**) 11-25-2008, 05:37 AM

I can see a point coming when someone else will decide to join the market with a new offering which will be of benefit to both web publisher and advertiser.

And Google would have only itself to blame.

dburdon · #9 (**permalink**) 11-26-2008, 07:33 PM

Peginald,

try [exact] match and reducing your bid in 1p increments. This will allow you to find the bottom.

Martinscholes · #10 (**permalink**) 11-29-2008, 01:56 PM

Now I have no clicks for today, but earned 1 cent. Whoopie-do.

There's something screwy at Adsense/Adwords.

Martinscholes · #11 (**permalink**) 11-29-2008, 08:54 PM

Oh. Now I have 3c for today, with two clicks at 1c per click.

Is Google really serious? Or what?

kgun · #12 (**permalink**) 12-09-2008, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dburdon

Virtually all the campaigns are tracked by some form of analytics. I tend to use a combination of Google Analytics or the paid version of Statcounter. For larger campaigns Google Analytics has the edge because it is much better managing aggregate data. For smaller campaigns and B2B campaigns with a high unit lead value I prefer to use Statcounter as it can drill down and track the individual visitor behaviour. On some websites I even combine the two systems.

My questions:

Are you sure that these third party tracking programs are good enough?
Do Google analytics give a good enough report?

Thoughts: If I should make a tracking program myself, I would have done the following:

At the lowest level, study your logs and use / make web server reports. Example: If you are on an Apache server. What can that platform offer you? Related information:

Apache module mod_rewrite

mod_rewrite - Apache HTTP Server

Welcome! - The Apache HTTP Server Project
Make a script that track all activity on your site: Example. If you use PHP, (don't trust external data) $HTTP_SERVER would give important information. Note that the $HTTP_SERVER_VARS variable is deprecated. PHP Data filtering give additional possibilities

Related information on filtering:

PHP Tutorials Examples Filtering Data with PHP

Quote:

Originally Posted by dburdon

For several days they received no traffic from Google Adwords despite being charged for clicks. The website is properly tracked and the Adwords account has the auto-tagging feature activated. Yet no Adwords traffic has been delivered. The client has made test clicks, I have made test clicks and, I believe from IP addresses detected, that Google has made test clicks. All of these have been detected by the analytics programme. Yet no actual, genuine Adwords traffic has been delivered. None. Zilch.

That is a serious complaint and can not be taken easy by any company.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dburdon

Google have a monopoly. Where else can the client go? In my opinion Google's success has led to arrogance and hubris. and a disdain for the small businesses that helped build them. This particular client has been using Google Adwords for almost 5 years. Given, that even in the UK, Google are now the largest single advertising player with a turnover in excess of £2 billion ($3 billion), it is time that some external controls were placed on the Adwords platform. No other business of this scale would be able to self-audit and self-police its output.

David, you know my opinion. Google is not a monopoly, but have a monopolistic position in the online ad industry. To an economist, there is a difference between a monopoly and a monoplistic position.

Sometimes, I have thought, is it possible for a third party to intervene and hijack, manipulate, block or pollute the reports and traffic? Note my link above with the anchor text:

don't trust external data.

Conclusion. If you have time, try to make your own tracking and analytics software based e.g. on

The Apache plattform.
PHP data filtering.

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