Facebook Ads - Click Fraud

[Markthedude]

Here is an interesting article I just found while browsing G+

Advertiser leaving Facebook after discovering that 80% of the clicks they're paying for are from 'bots.'

A company called Limited Run publicly announced on Facebook that they're leaving Facebook, and for two reasons:

First, they did their own analytics and found that 80% of the clicks Facebook was charging them for were from automated "bots."

Second, the company changed their name. They requested that Facebook change their name on their business page. But Facebook told them (allegedly) that in order to change their name on Facebook, they would have to spend $2,000 more on advertising.

If these allegations are true, how widespread is this abuse?

[URL]https://www.facebook.com/limitedpressing/posts/209534972507958[/URL]

I wonder just how bad things really are behind the scenes at FB when it comes to the advertising side of things now that they're public.

I don't do FB ads but for those of you who do, do you feel that this is an accurate description for how your campaigns perform? I mean, a "claimed" 80% fraud rate for clicks seems a bit high and you would think there would be other companies speaking. Although, Chevrolet, last time I was reading up on FB ads, did pull completely out of the FB ads market...

 

[tuesday10]

Lots of big-name companies are leaving FB Ads; most say the same thing: poor returns on their ad spend.

 

[jstover77]

This sounds about right. I have attempted FB PPC quite a few times, and the traffic converts like shit. And I am talking about websites that convert like crazy with Yahoo, Google, Bing PPC. If you analyze the traffic it is terrible. Bounce rates extremely high, time spent on site terrible. I understand that the traffic is going to be less proactive, but not to the point where you can pull some profits off of it. I hear of some people making money off of it, but not many.

This doesn't surprise me at all.

 

[unknownn]

i used fb ads for a custom product which was high demand and converting with adwords like crazy cause it was unique and i had it exclusiv for FB.I spent $500 and had a single sale for $80.

 

[ReALeST]

Here is an interesting article I just found while browsing G+

[URL]https://www.facebook.com/limitedpressing/posts/209534972507958[/URL]

I wonder just how bad things really are behind the scenes at FB when it comes to the advertising side of things now that they're public.

I don't do FB ads but for those of you who do, do you feel that this is an accurate description for how your campaigns perform? I mean, a "claimed" 80% fraud rate for clicks seems a bit high and you would think there would be other companies speaking. Although, Chevrolet, last time I was reading up on FB ads, did pull completely out of the FB ads market...

It only gets worse...i just read the above article and was shocked to see a guy that reported only 8% real clicks...seriously FB!!

 

[Thub15]

i'm a beginning fb ads user. should i get out before i pay too much money on leads that don't convert?
spent like $6 so far for two days and two likes for my page.

 

[Zeta Reticuli]

Oh my lord! I was just about to start my first FB Ad Campaign, in about 5 minutes! :yield:

I'm no longer interested in spending one single dime with them now...

 

[Elliot305]

I don't know if 80% is accurate, but I do know that click fraud/bot clicking is real and has been going on for a very long time now with FB. Back in 2009 I did a ton of FB advertising and it was around 20-25%. I'm sure its on a case-by-case basis and who you're targeting. I continued with FB because even at the 25% click fraud level, I was still profitting pretty good. I recall a lot of people complaining about it back then. Maybe it's gotten worse. Sad they can't fix this issue.

 

[weruncompanies]

Down with Facebook..? Shares are going to plummet when the media gets a hold of this and it spreads out a bit more.. I'd sell stock ASAP.

 

[Jaykub]

what is the purpose of those bots clicking on your ads? it's not like the bot coder will get paid so what can be the reason for doing so? maybe crushing the competition?

 

[lostpassword]

what is the purpose of those bots clicking on your ads? it's not like the bot coder will get paid so what can be the reason for doing so? maybe crushing the competition?

Facebook make money from those ads.

 

[zoomsixx]

And there goes the rest of the Facebook stock value.

Here is an article on TechCrunch on the issue btw:

http://techcrunch.com/2012/07/30/startup-claims-80-of-its-facebook-ad-clicks-are-coming-from-bots/

 

[santhu]

I cant believe this there are the biggest social networking platform earned $100 billion when they came to public issue.
What they want more...............

 

[UrsuAke]

It's just a cycle that keeps repeating. It's a feat of nature really. A company/person keeps evolving until it/he reaches it's point of incompetence. Afterwards, it all goes downhill. And anything/anyone has a point of incompetence, some higher, some lower. The secret is to know your point of incompetence and not exceed it. Unfortunately, both Google and Facebook have passed that dreaded point and sadly, there's only one road for them from now on... DOWN! If you want to know more about this, read the Peter Principle, it will open your eyes on many levels.

 

[JimmyWong]

Furthermore: Facebook would only change the name of their page...for $2000.

 

[enjetliu]

Looking to Buy Facebook Ad Account Daily...
Please add my skype: csm.helpline

 

[hlnothingsiu]

I spent 4$ and get ~40 like my Fanpage. It is good or not ??

I have 1 question that How can I increase my Fanpage without using FB ads? I don't have any USA friends.

 

[Kosher1]

No wonder their stock is the lowest it's ever been.

So much for having "friends"

 

[TheBigOneder]

I also used FB ads trying to build up one of my fan pages. Most of the new fans were obvious bots with no real homepage to speak of. After about 50 of them and no real fans I canceled the ads. I then bought 1,000 fake likes from fivverr for $5 and saved a lot of money from the FB scam.

It would be interesting to find out if FB was actually behind the bots. Seems kind of weird for some black hatter to be bot liking all the ads on pages, but who knows.

Bottom Line: Not worth a dime.

 

[HostStage]

they would have to spend $2,000 more on advertising.

That seem to be an easy shortcut that doesn't reflect the genuine situation.

Otherwise, i'm not quite surprised about the PPC, and FB is going to drown if they keep doing so especially combined with the bad move which was to get into the trading market.