Did you know that there are many websites that suffer from fake traffic? Inflated numbers with non-human interactions may appear certain credibility on your profile or website, but they are extremely harmful to business.
This practice is not recommended in any Digital Marketing , SEO or social media strategy and is subject to punishment on many platforms and search engines. Not only that, malicious traffic generated by bots, fake profiles or software also results in wasted ad investment.
The best thing to do is to avoid risks so as not to compromise your website and optimize the results of advertising campaigns.
Curious about how fake traffic works and how to protect your business? Check out the full article we prepared for you.
What Is Fake Traffic?
Do you know when we come across an Instagram profile with many followers, but little engagement on posts? So, when we look deeper we see that a large part of the followers belong to the other side of the world? This is one of the examples of fake traffic.
In other words, fake traffic is a way to increase an account or website’s follower numbers or engagement through fake accounts, bots, or digital traps that mimic human interactions.
This only inflates the metrics superficially, but is harmful to the health of your site due to the side effects. Skewed metrics and lost investments are just the beginning.
Over time, the main search engines and internet platforms have evolved when it comes to investigating this practice. But, on the other hand, these frauds also improve and find ways to circumvent this investigation.
Therefore, it is necessary to be aware of the ways in which fake traffic manifests itself.
What Are The Main Types Of Fake Traffic?
There are some common types of bots that generate fake traffic. Check out some examples to avoid falling into digital traps:
Spambots
They are also called spam bots. They may collect email addresses and eventually post promotional content in comment sections to drive traffic to a specific website or profile.
Malicious Chatbot
These are chatbots that invade websites and comments that pose as human users in order to collect information and data, including credit card numbers.
They are very dangerous and dishonest, especially for users who don’t realize they are talking to robots.
Article Sharing Bot
This type of bot acts based on users’ previous searches. They appear informing that there is a file available for download and, by clicking on the link, the user ends up infecting the computer without realizing it.
It is because of bots like this, among other reasons, that for years social networks have reinforced the idea of being very careful with random links.
Filling in Credentials
These are invasive bots that fill the login pages with user data. Generally, the collection of this information is unauthorized and carried out on an unprotected website.
What Harm Can This Practice Cause?
Fake traffic is harmful to both users and the company itself. This is because when a bot interacts with a campaign, website or other digital content, it wastes advertising expenses, for example.
In other words, all the investment made to attract potential leads is interrupted by automatic robot interactions that inflate engagement numbers, but do not convert into buyers.
Furthermore, the presence of bots on platforms distorts metrics and generates an inaccurate image of BI systems. They still waste salespeople’s time by hacking CRM systems.
For these and other reasons, it is important to encourage the identification and combat of these threats.
Why Does Fake Traffic Happen?
We don’t have to look far to understand why, at first glance, fake traffic is still being made.
The first and most common reason is the competitiveness of two or more companies in the same niche. With fake traffic, your profile or website appears successful as reflected by the number of followers or comments. In addition to being harmful to the competitor.
This brings us to the second reason: the lack of knowledge of the penalties of this practice.
Misinformation leads to company frustration when waiting for those false numbers to convert into positive metrics or to achieve the same results generated by organic traffic.
As we saw earlier in this article, the hole is lower and all bots generate exactly the opposite effect, damaging your brand with loss of investment and leaving it vulnerable to suspensions or greater punishments from Ads.
The Main Sources of Fake Traffic
So, let’s better understand where fake traffic comes from. The main sources are:
- Botnet: this is a digital platform with different IPs that interact on websites and social networks as if they were human;
- Click Forms: these are people hired to perform specific tasks in order to increase metrics. These are actions such as: watching the same video several times to generate views, liking posts, commenting on publications and following profiles;
- Chatbot: nothing more than software programmed to click on links and record an exaggeration of clicks.
Fortunately, there are ways to avoid fake traffic by identifying excessive interactions, data changes, and traffic errors. This makes it easier to take the necessary measures to protect your business.
Have you ever imagined how much money and resources your company can save by avoiding fake traffic?
How To Avoid Fake Traffic?
If your case is a little different and you have already encountered any of these problems, the time has come to combat them.
Implementing captchas is the first step in guarding against the harm of fake traffic. Therefore, ensure that you are using reliable platforms that offer internet security.
Avoid partnering with suspicious or unknown websites. Instead, invest in teams of programmers who understand cybersecurity. Make sure the latest tools are being used to combat malicious scripts.
Check your campaigns and posts on different browsers and devices to ensure good circulation of published content. Avoid losing your social media account and the benefits of being present on the platforms.
Furthermore, some practical advice involves monitoring the site’s metrics, paying attention to the credibility of backlink partners and being extra careful when implementing paid traffic .
It’s Time To Fight This Evil
We know it’s a lot to process. The battle against fake traffic is an ongoing process that takes time and effort.
In digital marketing, each technique or each danger is an important point on the journey to success. You need to filter out what enhances or hinders your path.
Therefore, understanding harmful practices such as fake traffic, is essential for the growth of your business and the evolution of your brand.
After reading this text, you are ready to avoid pitfalls and protect yourself against the harm of fake traffic. By investing in reliable partnerships and quality platforms, you guarantee the health of your website and its users.
