Why Made-For-Advertising Sites Can Damage Your Brand

The Deceptive Strategy of MFA Websites

MFA websites employ a variety of strategies that could be seen as deceptive. They rely heavily on paid traffic channels, such as social media and native ads, with negligible organic traffic. Additionally, they generally feature content designed to encourage constant scrolling or clicking within the same site. This content is often replicated verbatim across multiple platforms or even auto-generated through generative AI.

The Adverse Impact on Advertisers

MFA websites can pose a significant threat to advertisers. According to a study by the Association for National Advertisers (ANA), a staggering 21% of all impressions from programmatic advertising are funneled towards MFA websites, capturing 15% of the entire ad expenditure. Advertisers can end up paying for invalid or inefficient traffic, often resulting in lower conversion rates and a poorer return on investment.

Deteriorating User Experience

MFA websites often diminish user experiences. The users are inundated with ads, often disguised as navigation buttons. This creates a frustrating environment, leading to users becoming less likely to engage, and potentially leaving a negative impression of the brands advertising on these sites.

The Environmental Impact

A less-known aspect of MFA websites is their negative impact on the environment. According to a study by Ebiquity and Scope3, MFA sites generate more carbon emissions than the average site. This is primarily due to the high number of ads per page and the indiscriminate ad calls to as many SSPs, DSPs, and ad networks as possible.

MFA Websites: A Mirage of Metrics

MFA websites often exhibit high viewability rates and lower CPMs, making them appear as attractive options for advertisers. However, these metrics are often inflated and do not translate into real-world outcomes. Therefore, while MFA sites may help advertisers hit certain campaign KPIs, they do not drive meaningful campaign results.

The Role of Ad Tech

Ad tech companies often play a significant role in the proliferation of MFA websites. As these companies get a slice of every transaction that occurs on these sites, the rise of MFA websites directly translates into increased revenue for ad tech platforms. Hence, even when these platforms are aware of the detrimental effects of MFA websites, they have a vested interest in their survival.

Navigating the MFA Risks

Advertisers can adopt several strategies to avoid MFA websites if they chose to do so. The first line of defense is the implementation of exclusion lists to prevent bids from reaching known MFA sites. In addition, brands and their agencies may consider developing supply-path-optimization (SPO) strategies to eliminate intermediaries and get closer to the publishers.

The Importance of Quality Control

While exclusion lists and SPO strategies can help, they need to be complemented by robust contextual and quality controls. Legacy contextual solutions that rely heavily on keywords and topics can be easily manipulated by MFA sites. Therefore, modern challenges necessitate modern solutions that can accurately assess the technical components of a publisher and its pages.

The Future of MFA Websites

The future of MFA websites hinges largely on the actions of media buyers and advertisers. As more becomes known about the harmful impact of MFA websites, there is a growing movement within the industry to prioritize transparency and cost-effectiveness. However, as long as the allure of vanity metrics continues to exist, the MFA menace is likely to persist.

Conclusion

MFA websites represent a significant challenge to the digital advertising ecosystem. These platforms, designed solely for maximizing ad revenue, often compromise user experience and devalue genuine content. However, by adopting robust contextual and quality controls, and by prioritizing transparency and cost-effectiveness, advertisers can navigate the MFA quagmire and ensure that their ads reach their intended audience effectively.

While the risk mitigation requires constant diligence and is not straightforward, the digital advertising industry as a whole is showing signs that it is moving towards a more curated and transparent approach. The question remains: Is this a fleeting trend or the dawn of a new, more responsible era in advertising? Only time will tell.

References & Further Reading

• Why ‘made-for-advertising’ websites are harmful to advertisers and how to avoid using them
• The case for and against made-for-advertising sites
• The Rise Of ‘Made For Advertising’ Sites: How Responsible Brands Can Take Action
• The dangers of made-for-advertising websites (MFAs)