Bot clicks and fake traffic set to cost advertisers over $71bn in 2024

With ad spend growth slowing to 5.3%, new research reveals an emerging threat to dwindling budgets - invalid traffic (IVT).

In 2024, advertisers are set to waste over $71bn (£59bn)* on traffic generated by invalid activity, including bots and automated scripts -  an increase of 33% from 2022.

Conducted by leading marketing efficiency platform Lunio, the research analysed 2.6bn paid ad clicks and 104bn impressions from 60,000 ad accounts across the platform’s...

29 January 2024 | Advertising

Marketers are unaware of how to prepare for Google’s cookie deprecation

The advertising industry edges closer to one of the most significant changes in a decade, as Google plans to migrate 1% of Chrome users to Privacy Sandbox early next year.

Yet, marketers still lack preparedness for the deprecation of the third-party cookie. In a new survey from YouGov, commissioned by Adform, almost half of respondents believe that finding a solution to replace third-party cookies is critical to future success. However, only 33% think they are well prepared for...

19 September 2023 | Advertising

Google Pixel partners with The FA to bring football fans closer to the game

Google Pixel has announced a new long-term partnership with The Football Association (The FA) as Official Mobile Phone and Earbuds Partner.

The deal marks Pixel’s first step into football sponsorship in the UK, with the brand looking to work with both the senior men’s and women’s teams to help bring fans closer to the sport they love.

Pixel are also working with Lionesses star Lauren James, who will front Google’s “Football on Pixel” campaign throughout the...

26 June 2023 | Content Marketing

23% of Gen Z avoid Google Home, Alexa and other Bluetooth devices

A Google Home device on a kitchen worktop.

Almost a quarter (23%) of Gen Zs avoid technology like Google Home, Alexa and other Bluetooth devices because of privacy concerns and only 35% want to see it in their homes.

This is according to a survey of 2,500 Gen Zs conducted by The Property Marketing Strategists. However, Gen Zs answers to other questions point the way to the future, suggesting that where they perceive a clear benefit and few downsides, they are ready to embrace the latest tech. 57%, for example, would...

6 December 2022 | Big Data

Five years after EU antitrust fine, 53% of UK Google Shopping ads still come from Google

Someone using Goolge on a laptop.

Five years after the EU commission fined Google 2.4 billion Euros ($2.65 billion) and ordered it to open up its Google Shopping service in Europe to external competition, a new study suggests around 53% of ads on the platform in the UK, still originate from Google itself - up from around 49% in 2019.

The research from Searchmetrics indicates that after Brexit, Google is no longer trying to increase competition on its shopping platform in the UK.

On top of this, the...

5 May 2022 | Advertising

Kevin the Carrot ranked most Googled Christmas advert character

Kevin the Carrot.

Aldi’s Kevin the Carrot is the most Googled Christmas advert character, according to data from Google trends.

The friendly little vegetable has been crowned the best Christmas advert character, after data comparing Google searches over the last five years revealed that Kevin the Carrot is the most Googled Christmas advert character.

The data as compiled based on the top six UK retailers, who release hotly anticipated Christmas adverts every year, including John Lewis,...

4 January 2022 | Advertising

Half of top websites fail to meet Google’s user experience requirements

Someone using Goolge on a laptop.

Around 50% of the top 100 most visible websites on Google.com still fail to deliver a ‘good’ page experience on desktop as defined in the search engine’s Core Web Vitals update which finished rolling out in August 2021. 

And 44% of the top 100 websites fail on mobile, according to research by research from Searchmetrics.

As of October, Walmart.com, Target.com and Tripadvisor.com as well as social sites such as Facebook.com, Instagram.com and Pinterest.com were...

1 December 2021 | Best Practice

How M&S increased engagement and achieved listings consistency with 1,063 stores

Marks & Spencer's St Helens store.

Marks & Spencer (M&S) is a leading British retailer bringing quality, great value food, clothing and homeware to millions of customers across the UK and around the world, from everyday style on M&S.com, to the very best prawn sandwiches at convenience M&S Simply Food locations.

The problem:

M&S continued to serve its customers throughout lockdown and strived to find new ways to help them shop with confidence and find the information they need online...

18 November 2021 | Automation

How marketers can overcome data privacy challenges as Google and Apple increase consumer protection

A gate with a sign that reads 'private'.

Consumers care about data privacy. In 2021, they know more about how their data is collected, stored, and shared, and they want more control. This presents a unique set of challenges for marketers because data collection has become so closely tied to the modern consumer experience. Would we have witnessed the same exponential growth in e-commerce without personalised advertisements and targeted promotions? Likely not, because consumers and marketers alike have become dependent on...

10 October 2021 | Data-driven marketing

Google delays Chrome tracking cookies ban until 2023

Google Chrome

Google has pushed back its planned blocking of third-party cookies on its Chrome internet browser from 2022 until 2023.

Cookies are used by websites to track users' browsing activity to enable digital publishers to better target their adverts.

Many of Google’s competitors, including Apple, Microsoft and Mozilla, have already blocked them. 

Vinay Goel, privacy engineering director for Google's Chrome browser, said: "While there’s considerable progress...

29 June 2021 | Advertising