Jewelry retailers that spend ad budget on search ads online should look closely at where the search ads are being served up. Some of them are showing noticeable levels of ad fraud.

1. Jewelry Brands
Suffering Ad Fraud
Dr. Augustine Fou
http://linkd.in/augustinefou
acfou @mktsci .com
February 2014
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Augustine Fou

2. Executive Summary
• Jewelry companies are big spenders in digital ads,
specifically paid search ads, which were widely
considered the most efficient way to get prospective
customers.
• However, even search ads are showing ad fraud.
• Estimated spending:
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Tiffany.com - $3M /yr
BlueNile.com - $4M annually
Kay.com - $2.4M /year
Jared.com - $2M per year
Augustine Fou

3. Tiffany.com
374 display
ads detected
Source: Moat
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Augustine Fou

4. Tiffany.com
Most expensive keywords
Source: iSpionage Dec 2013
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Augustine Fou

5. Tiffany Search Ad
Bad guy site:
Analyzecanceradvi
ce. Com
Keyword:
Tiffany ring
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Augustine Fou

6. Redirect Link(s)
Known blackhat
technique to hide real
referrer and replace
with faked referrer.
SIX (6) redirects
before ending on the
landing page
See how-to:
http://www.blackhatworld.com/
blackhat-seo/cloaking-contentgenerators/36830-cloakingredirect-referer.html
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Augustine Fou

7. Destination Page
http://www.tiffany.com/sh
opping/CategoryBrowse.a
spx?omcid=MSN23484&i
q_id=30101212&utm_sou
rce=msn&utm_medium=c
pc&utm_campaign=01%2
bBranded%2bNew%2b%2bExact&utm_term=30
101212tiffany%27s%2bring&cid
=287466&mcat=148204
passing fake
source
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Augustine Fou

8. BlueNile.com
215 display
ads detected
Source: Moat
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Augustine Fou

9. BlueNile.com
Most expensive keywords
Source: iSpionage Dec 2013
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Augustine Fou

10. BlueNile Search Ad
Bad guy site:
Analyzecanceradvi
ce. Com
Keyword:
Tiffany ring
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Augustine Fou

11. Redirect Link(s)
Known blackhat
technique to hide real
referrer and replace
with faked referrer.
SIX (6) redirects
before ending on the
landing page
See how-to:
http://www.blackhatworld.com/
blackhat-seo/cloaking-contentgenerators/36830-cloakingredirect-referer.html
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Augustine Fou

12. Destination Page
http://www.bluenile.com/a
transfer.jsp?sourceid=3812
5&matchtype=bb&query=
tiffany%20ring&keyword
=platinum%20engagement
%20rings&creative=7895
79850
passing fake
source
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Augustine Fou

13. Search Ad Fraud
Backgrounder
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Augustine Fou

14. How Click Fraud Works
“vacuum cleaner” keyword
Walmart search ad
Bot clicks through
to walmart.com
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Augustine Fou

15. Pass Fake URL Trackers
http://www.olay.com/skincare-products/OlayProX?utm_source=msn&utm
_medium=cpc&utm_camp
aign=Olay_Search_Deskto
p_Category+Interest+Prod
uct.Phrase&utm_term=eye
%20cream&utm_content=
TZsrSzFz_eye%20cream_
p_2990456911
passing fake
source/referrer
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Augustine Fou

16. Other Bad Guy Domains
http://analyzecanceradvice .com
http://analyzecancerhelp .com
http://bestcanceropinion .com
http://bestcancerproducts .com
http://bestcancerresults .com
http://besthealthopinion .com
http://bettercanceradvice .com
http://bettercancerhelp .com
http://betterhealthopinion .com
http://findcanceropinion .com
http://findcancerresource .com
http://findcancertopics .com
http://findhealthopinion .com
http://finestcanceradvice .com
http://finestcancerhelp .com
http://finestcancerresults .com
http://getcancerproducts .com
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96,000+ more
sites like these,
designed to show
search ads and
self-click on them
to steal CPC ad
dollars
Augustine Fou

17. Digital Ad Forensics Process
Preliminary Scan
Sizing of
ad fraud
Forensic Analysis
Maintenance
• Technology Tools
• Statistical analysis
• Budget shifts
• Further optimization
Implementation
FREE
$$$
Preliminary analysis of
paid campaigns and
analytics to determine
magnitude of the ad
fraud impacting client.
Creating recommended
list of changes,
including list of sites to
exclude in each ad
channel.
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$
Subscribe to triangulated,
cross-industry database of
“ad fraud offenders” to
continuously update
blacklists and whitelists.
Augustine Fou

18. Related Articles
Digital Ad Fraud Briefing
By: Augustine Fou December 2013
Fake YouTube Videos
By: Augustine Fou, December 2013
How Display Fraud Works
By: Augustine Fou, May 2013
Fake Linkedin Profiles
By: Augustine Fou, December 2013
How Click Fraud Works
By: Augustine Fou, November 2013
Fake Facebook Profiles
By: Augustine Fou, Dec 2013
The Magnitude of Digital Ad Fraud
By: Augustine Fou, November 2013
Fake Twitter Accounts
By: Augustine Fou, August 2013
ROI Case for Solving Ad Fraud
By: Augustine Fou January 2014
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Augustine Fou

19. Dr. Augustine Fou – Digital Forensics
“I advise clients on optimizing
advertising across all channels. Using
advanced technical forensic techniques
and custom tchnology tools, we detect
and mitigate ad fraud and waste.”
FORMER CHIEF DIGITAL OFFICER, HCG (OMNICOM)
MCKINSEY CONSULTANT
CLIENT SIDE / AGENCY SIDE EXPERIENCE
PROFESSOR AND COLUMNIST
ENTREPRENEUR / SMALL BUSINESS OWNER
PHD MATERIALS SCIENCE (MIT '95) AT AGE 23
ClickZ Articles: http://bit.ly/augustine-fou-clickz
Slideshares: http://bit.ly/augustine-fou-slideshares
LinkedIn: http://linkd.in/augustinefou
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@acfou
Augustine Fou