In a recent study, MFA sites made up 21 percent of ad impressions and 15 percent of ad spending. A 2023 report from the Association of National Advertisers found that every advertiser spent some money on MFA sites, with individual spending ranging from 0.13 percent to 42 percent, averaging 15 percent overall.
ANA’s Report Data
While MFA sites aren't technically ad fraud, they do serve ads to real humans - they undermine the effectiveness of programmatic advertising. Advertisers end up paying for placements that yield little to no impact on consumer behavior due to the poor user experience and brief engagement times typical of these sites.
The prevalence of MFA sites remains a pressing issue in the digital advertising industry. A recent report from Pixalate's May 2024 Web MFA Risk Analysis highlights the ongoing challenges:
Google Ad Exchange emerged as the programmatic seller most utilized by MFA sites, selling ads on 72% of these sites in May 2024, up from 67% in April. Other major players like Magnite (33%), Xandr Monetize (31%), Sharethrough (28%), and Equativ (25%) also had significant involvement with MFA sites, although their percentages decreased from the previous month.
Google AdExchange Sold Ads on 66% of websites flagged as MFA
The report also ranked open programmatic sellers by estimated ad spend on MFA sites:
These figures underscore the persistent nature of the MFA problem and the need for continued vigilance and improved solutions in the programmatic advertising space.
Photo Credit - Adalytics
The recent Adalytics report has sent shockwaves through the advertising industry, revealing the true extent of the Made for Advertising (MFA) problem despite ongoing efforts to combat it.
The findings are startling: major brands like Colgate, Coca-Cola, and Unilever have had their ads appear on MFA sites, placed there by top media agencies using leading demand-side platforms such as DV360, Amazon, and Criteo.
Perhaps most alarming is the financial impact, with Adalytics estimating that a Fortune 500 company could be wasting over $10 million annually on these low-quality websites. This revelation underscores the persistence and depth of the MFA issue, highlighting the urgent need for more effective measures to protect brand integrity and advertising budgets in the digital space.
While the industry works on broader solutions to the MFA problem, individual advertisers need tools to protect their investments. This is where BlokID, a blockchain-powered attribution and privacy insurance platform, comes into play.
BlokID offers a range of features that can help advertisers avoid wasting their budget on MFA sites:
BlokID's Immutable Ad Metrics Reconciliation system allows advertisers to instantly verify each ad spend. This real-time verification can help identify suspicious patterns typical of MFA sites, such as unusually high impression counts coupled with low engagement rates.
By providing detailed audit proofs, BlokID helps advertisers quickly identify and resolve billing issues. This feature is particularly useful in detecting the inflated impression counts often associated with MFA sites.
BlokID offers detailed insights into traffic sources and user behavior. This can help advertisers spot the telltale signs of MFA sites, such as a high proportion of paid traffic or abnormally short session durations.
By integrating BlokID's solutions into their digital advertising strategy, businesses can:
The blockchain-powered nature of BlokID's platform adds an extra layer of security and trust to these processes. By creating an immutable record of ad transactions, it becomes much harder for MFA sites to manipulate metrics or hide their true nature.
MFA sites pose a significant challenge to the digital advertising industry, potentially wasting billions in ad spend. However, with increased awareness and the right tools, advertisers can protect themselves and ensure their budgets are directed towards quality placements that drive real business outcomes.
By leveraging platforms like BlokID, advertisers can gain the transparency and control needed to navigate the complex programmatic landscape. Combined with industry-wide efforts to define and eliminate MFA sites, these technological solutions offer a path towards a more efficient and effective digital advertising ecosystem.
Remember, the key to combating MFA sites lies in prioritizing quality over quantity, focusing on meaningful engagement metrics, and leveraging advanced tools for verification and tracking. With these strategies in place, advertisers can maximize their ROI and contribute to a healthier digital advertising environment for all.
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