| With the advent of pay-per-click advertising, small | | | | 10-15% of the total click-thru rate, costing small |
| businesses can now afford targeted, | | | | businesses thousands of dollars. |
| content-related Internet marketing campaigns. | | | | Companies like Google and Yahoo are actively |
| Google's Adwords service, for example, allows | | | | working to reduce or eliminate fraudulent clicks by |
| advertisers to set the price they are willing to pay | | | | developing sophisticated software that attempts |
| every time someone clicks on one of their ads. | | | | to filter out or block questionable sites. The |
| The ads are placed on websites that display | | | | fraudsters are working just as hard to get around |
| content that is relevant to what the advertiser is | | | | these obstacles, often developing their own |
| selling, thereby ensuring that a targeted audience | | | | programs designed to beat the system. What can |
| will see them. This approach has been invaluable | | | | you do to protect yourself? |
| to the success of many small businesses. | | | | Get more specific about where your ads are |
| Unfortunately, it has also created opportunities for | | | | displayed. Although it is often tempting to cast the |
| fraud. | | | | widest net possible, use some judgment with |
| The websites that run your ad get paid based on | | | | placement. If your ideal customers are real estate |
| the number of clicks each ad receives. Although | | | | agents in North America, for example, why |
| this amount is usually only a few cents, fraudsters | | | | advertise on Chinese websites? Google's Adwords |
| have realized that thousands of clicks per day can | | | | service is pretty easy to customize. You should |
| add up to a lot of money. Typically, they will set | | | | also pay close attention to where your traffic is |
| up multiple sites that feature nothing but | | | | coming from. Don't hesitate to alert Google if you |
| pay-per-click advertisements. They then pay | | | | get a large number of suspicious clicks. They will |
| other people small fees to continually click on the | | | | work with you and may refund your |
| ads, earning ad revenue without actually producing | | | | expenditures. Remember, companies like Google |
| any sales for the advertisers. Some estimates | | | | and Yahoo are also relying on pay-per-click |
| place the average number of fraudulent clicks at | | | | advertising to succeed. |