Unmasking Ad Stacking: A Threat to NZ Digital Marketing

Key Points:

Ad stacking is a prevalent form of digital ad fraud.

It leads to inflated costs and distorted marketing data.

New Zealand businesses must be aware of ad stacking risks.

Effective detection and prevention strategies are crucial.

Ad Stacking: A Hidden Challenge for New Zealand Businesses in Digital Advertising

In the realm of digital advertising, New Zealand businesses face a deceptive challenge known as ad stacking. This form of fraud can significantly affect marketing strategies and budgets. Understanding its impact, and how to combat it is essential for the integrity and success of digital marketing efforts.

What is Ad Stacking?

Stacking occurs when multiple ads are layered on top of each other in a single ad placement, with only the top ad visible to users. Despite the invisibility of the underlying ads, impressions and clicks are registered for each ad in the stack, leading advertisers to pay for non-genuine interactions. This fraudulent practice is prevalent in mobile advertising and is increasingly found in high-value, in-app video ads, negatively impacting return on ad spend (ROAS) and causing budget wastage.

About the Author

Matthew Edwards

Founder

I’ve always believed that each business is unique. Bringing this view to Mars Digital means we take the time to understand you and your business before going away, doing the research and coming back to you with our thought out recommendations and the reasoning behind them.

For me, it’s all about building a mutually beneficial partnership.

Our Work

Destination Orewa Beach

Comprehensive Care

Coast Residential

Cain Built

Daylite Skylights

3D Online

JC Project Consulting

Taxi Tax

Trident Electrical & Air Conditioning

Zakmir

Hibiscus Coast Panel Beaters

Stella Beauty

Osteo Clinic

The Far-Reaching Effects of Ad Stacking

Financial Implications

Ad stacking leads to rapid depletion of advertising budgets due to charges for false ad impressions and clicks. This not only results in financial losses but also skews the effectiveness of digital campaigns, as advertisers pay for nonexistent user engagement.

Impact on Campaign Data

One of the most damaging aspects of ad stacking is the distortion of campaign data. Misleading data can lead advertisers to incorrect conclusions about their campaign’s effectiveness, prompting unnecessary changes and further misallocations of resources.

Identifying and Preventing Ad Stacking

Detecting ad stacking involves monitoring campaign backends for anomalies, such as the same device clicking on multiple ads with identical timestamps, or discrepancies between high impression counts and low conversion rates. Regular checks with ad platforms and publishers are also vital.

Implementing Anti-Fraud Solutions

The most effective way to combat ad stacking is through real-time protection with advanced anti-fraud software. These solutions can automatically detect and prevent fraudulent activities, helping to maintain the integrity of digital advertising efforts and safeguard marketing investments.

Conclusion

Ad stacking poses a significant challenge to New Zealand businesses engaged in digital advertising. Understanding this form of ad fraud and implementing robust detection and prevention strategies are critical for protecting advertising budgets and ensuring the accuracy of campaign data. As digital marketing continues to evolve, staying vigilant against such fraudulent practices is crucial for maintaining a competitive edge and achieving marketing success.

Sarah Boughtwood

01:47 19 Dec 19

Matt is very professional and good at what he does. I asked him to help me with my business google rankings, website and SEO. I have been very impressed with the results and would highly recommend. Very professional, great service and communication

Sophie Howard

22:45 08 Dec 19

We recently had Matt from Mars Digital run a Facebook Advertising training for us and it was incredible. He showed us some tools and techniques for increasing our reach and the effectiveness of our ads. If you are running sponsored posts on Facebook for your business, I'd definitely recommend you get the team from Mars to come in to audit your process and see how you can improve.

Cheri Quinton

19:42 08 Feb 19

I worked with Matt from Mars digital to help with the design and launch of my new website and I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. Matt worked alongside me to get a good understanding of what I wanted/needed from my website. Matt undertook thorough research to ensure its design, layout and contents were relevant to my profession and presented in a way so that it would stand out. Throughout the process Matt has been very helpful and interactive, making it easy to solve any issues if they arise. Matt went above and beyond, developing internal systems on wordpress to assist/organise client informtation and treatment notes, keeping all my information together in one place. Long term this will help me save money with additional software and will help bulid my business making it more attractive to future clients.

Unmasking Ad Stacking: A Threat to NZ Digital Marketing

Key Points:

Ad Stacking: A Hidden Challenge for New Zealand Businesses in Digital Advertising

What is Ad Stacking?