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Share of Search

Share of Search: Tap the Power of Keywords and Reach Your Ideal Audience

Leave a Comment / Blog, Digital Shelf Analytics /

In today’s world where every piece of information is just a fingertip away, shoppers have become smart and aware. Accordingly, the brands have to be on their toes to understand what’s on the consumer’s mind. Along with it, it’s also essential for brands to keep track of their competitor’s moves. While the traditional approaches have their own space, the universal metric of Share of Search is set to open a door of effective business insights and therefore more opportunities. 61% of marketers say improving SEO and growing their organic presence is their top inbound marketing priority. Learn how Share of Search can change your digital commerce game and help you compete with utmost transparency and efficiency in the ever-evolving digital landscape. What is Share of Search? The simplest way to explain Share of Search is, that it is the percentage of search results on a particular keyword for which a brand appears. An SOS can be measured for general search queries on search engines and eCommerce marketplaces. Share of search is a powerful metric for eCommerce marketers to understand and predict their market share and growth. In terms of digital shelf analytics, the share of search enables brand owners to get transparency of how their brands are performing online in comparison to their competition, get an insight into their brand performance and also revamp their search strategies. Is Share of Search a substitute for Share of Voice? There is an existing misconception that Share of Voice (SOV) can be substituted by Share of Search as both are derived from the same concept. Share of Voice determines the market share success by comparing the brand’s advertising spend with total media expenditure within the industry. Whereas the share of search is determined based on how many times a brand’s keyword is organically typed rather than how much is spent to capture the market share. Share of search gives a fair idea of a brand’s organic reach in digital platforms. By leveraging advanced intelligence solutions, one can better understand the search behaviour of a shopper – like if people are comparing products or trying to learn how to use the products based on keyword searches. Therefore, it will not be a substitute but a collaboratively used metric to understand the pulse of the market, make crucial business decisions based on market position, and create effective strategies to stay relevant. How Search Drives a Shopper’s Behaviour? Today’s shoppers are smart and fast unlike earlier. And to tap the interest of these fast consumers, search plays a crucial role. Your product is just a quick search away. From discovering new and trending products, researching via reviews and ratings or even exploring other options, comparing prices and checking quality, they leverage the internet for everything before buying. Therefore, it has become essential for brands to stay on top of their search game to ensure they don’t get overshadowed by competitors. How does Share of Search Help to Stay Ahead of the Game? According to a study conducted by James Hankins, the share of search entails 83% of a brand’s market share. When used ideally, this metric not only provides the brand’s market position but also enables marketers to accumulate search insights based on geography and product category, thereby understanding consumer preferences. Share of search can help brands to: – Appear In The Front Shelf Stats say there are up to 60% higher chances of adding to a cart if a brand’s product appears within the first four search results. Imagine, your loyal customer is at the shampoo aisle looking for their favourite brand. But when searching your competitor’s product overshadows your product by taking the prime position in the aisle. This similar happens in online shopping when your competitors appear above you in the search results when looking for “shampoo”. If your share of search is weak, there will be a higher chance of discovery for your competitor’s product until it goes out of stock. By understanding the competing brand’s share of search, you can identify the hidden tactics in the product detail pages (PDPs) and optimize them to appear on top of the digital shelf. – Be Known for What You Do Best Improve your brand’s positioning by covering not just branded but also non-branded keywords. According to an experiment done by HP in 2022, they found that there was a rapid rise in generic search terms like “best laptops”. This experiment increased to 8.2% of customers shifting from consideration to purchase decision. The metric provides a wide coverage to the brand across both branded and non-branded keywords leaving a deeper impact on the customer’s mind. – Stay ahead of competitor’s move The product display pages [PDPs] require frequent updates to stay relevant in the dynamic environment of eCommerce businesses. 76% of the shoppers prioritise detailed product descriptions as a significant attribute when shopping. By keeping track of the share of search, marketers can effectively improve the product descriptions, outdated images and missing sections along with incorporating the best-performing keywords. This means that if you own a homemade product brand, the metric must be able to help showcase your product even when a person searches “homemade”. Stay Ahead of Competitors with Insight-driven Analytics The behaviour of a consumer’s search behaviour is dynamic and monitoring it is an ongoing process. It differs according to the stage in which a customer stands. Whether they are looking for a solution, or comparing the products with competitor’s products. All these lead to making the final decision. To keep track of these dynamic changes, the brands require a holistic and advanced eCommerce analytics solution. mScanIt is a ecommerce competitive analysis that helps to fulfil these requirements and more with a comprehensive dashboard that enables one to keep track of search rankings and provides a transparent overview of the brand’s visibility. Get in touch with our experts to solve your eCommerce woes!

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Protect Impression Integrity

Safeguard Your ads in the Digital Landscape: Protect Impression Integrity

Leave a Comment / Blog, Brand Safety & Protection /

Heavy payouts and unrealistic numbers are the real face of ad campaign impressions. The inflated numbers from invalid sources do not lead to conversions. In the app ecosystem, invalid clicks and impressions are a major concern as they question the ad’s effectiveness and result in a waste of ad spend. Every step of the ad campaign that led to app installs and events gets plagued by malicious activities that dampen your return on investment. Let’s dig up the dirt on the issue and shed some light on how invalid impressions can ruin your return on investments. Myth Behind Impressions Is a genuine audience viewing your ad? Heavy payout on invalid impressions costs brands massive wastage of ad spending. The validation of impressions can help a brand not just reduce ad spend. Most advertisers presume that fraud does not happen at the impression level but it’s a grey zone where fraudulent activities take place unnoticed. It’s a deceptive practice in the digital advertising ecosystem where advertisers are charged for ad impressions that are not viewed by real human users or are otherwise misrepresented. Apart from wastage of ad spend they can negatively impact the effectiveness of ad campaigns and return on investment (ROI). Here are some keys sources that generate invalid impressions: Impressions from MFA (Made-for-Adverising site). MFA sites are tailored for advertising purposes, ensuring a more intentional and engaged audience that does not result in conversions. Impressions from Low-quality content sites. The low-quality content site poses challenges in terms of the relevance and effectiveness of ad impressions. Multiple impressions served on the same device with Frequency capping (F-cap) violations. It can lead to overexposure and decreased impact, as the audience may become desensitized to the ads. Impressions from Ad Stacking. Multiple ads are layered on top of each other within a single ad placement. While only the top ad is visible, impressions for all stacked ads are counted, leading to inflated metrics. Domain Spoofing. Fraudsters misrepresent the website or app where the ad is displayed, making it seem like it is being shown on a premium site when it’s on a lower-quality or fraudulent one. Pixel Stuffing. Ads are hidden within small, transparent pixels on a webpage. These ads are technically “viewed” even though they are not visible to the user, resulting in fraudulent impressions. Cookie Stuffing. Cookies are forcibly placed on a user’s device without their knowledge or consent, allowing fraudsters to claim credit for ad impressions or actions across multiple sites. Proxy Traffic. Fraudsters use proxies to make it appear as though ad impressions are coming from different locations or devices, creating a false sense of diversity in the audience. What do the advertisers need to do? Impression validation Let’s start with where advertisers need to be vigilant before it’s too late. It’s the post-delivery of impression to Minimize wastage when payouts are on CPM. Impression Data collected from MMP must be validated and invalid impressions blocked. Not as simple but effective if you have the right solution in place to safeguard your ad spending. The process ensures Clean Traffic with Safe Placements Optimized Campaign Performance Restrict payouts for Invalid Impressions Improve ROAS The validation processes ensure that you payout on only verified impressions and maintain your impression integrity. To make it clear let’s clarify what’s the problem with click credibility. Fraud Clicks have a direct Impact on Revenue. The ad network ends up paying for fraud clicks to its sub-publishers, especially when the advertiser is equipped with fraud detection. Reconciliation Issues on both sides. The ad networks or agencies face major reconciliation issues with their suppliers as well as clients since fraud clicks always create discrepancies. Build up an untrustworthy Market Environment. Due to fraud and traffic inconsistencies, the trust level of each player in the market remains low, thus impacting the overall market environment. Higher Dependency on Advertisers Reports. In the absence of a fraud detection mechanism, the Networks are dependent upon advertiser reports to ascertain the validity of a click. Need for transparency and clarity for Advertisers Advertisers need both pre-MMP checks, post-MMP checks, and basic time-sensitive checks. These checks should be advanced time-insensitive checks to ensure transparency and clarity that ensure click and impression integrity. Basic checks are needed to prevent invalid clicks and getting blocked before entering MMP. This validation process should be done with minimum latency to ensure that it does not hinder the user experience and integrations. For post-MMP Checks, Advertisers need advanced time Insensitive Checks which include pattern mapping. The advanced pattern checks require grouping of data to look for patterns. Also, pre-MMP checks should work in tandem with the pre-attribution checks to ensure overall traffic validation. Advanced ad fraud detection tool provides multilayer defense with pre and post-MMP checks along with the capability to block and blacklist specific sub-publishers and traffic sources. Final Thought The advertisers often ensure that impressions are the cleanest matric for making payout for ad campaigns but when it comes to conversions there are stark differences. For an effective and successful ad campaign and to build a clean ecosystem advertisers need a comprehensive solution that provides multi-level defense across the funnel. Valid8 provides full-funnel protection of your campaigns from Invalid Traffic on the web and app to gain ROAS throughout the customer acquisition journey. It includes Branding Campaigns i.e. Programmatic Campaigns covering Frequency Cap Violations and exclusion lists for Made Ads (MFA) Sites with integrated Brand Safety. Optimize performance campaigns by identifying frauds in CPC, CPV, and CPL web campaigns and search keyword fraud. It also provides Visit-Lead Validation with visit analysis based on Visit Intent with Invalid Traffic Validation to ensure validated leads are integrated into CRM. Connect with our experts to explore the possibilities and prevent drainage of your ad budget to optimize your marketing efforts.

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Ad Budget

Made for advertising Websites are Burning 15% of Your Ad Budget

Leave a Comment / Blog, Brand Safety & Protection /

“Know how these Harry Potter characters are doing now? The 3rd one is a shocking revelation!” These headlines are very difficult to resist and where it leads to is another surprise. Often these websites are like a carnival of ads covering every possible space. From flashy ads to pop-up ads, there is an ad at every step of your click. And what about the Harry Potter characters? Well, you will find out only after you make dozens of clicks and pass through multiple pop-up ads. And these digital carnival spaces also have a name. These are called “Made for advertising” websites. According to a recent study by ANA, 21% of the impressions come from the MFA websites. This means that an average of 15% of the ad spends are wasted due to these clickbait websites. Know in detail the impact of MFA websites on the advertiser’s campaign and how advertisers can take the right action to reduce the wastage of ad spend and ensure brand suitability. What are Made for Advertising Websites? Made-for advertising websites are smartly concealed modes for ad arbitrage. These websites as the name suggests are created to show ads. Not one or two but many. The purpose of these websites is to generate traffic to their websites, leveraging search engines and social media platforms at a low cost. These websites are often overloaded with filler and irrelevant content, clickbait headlines, multiple interlinked websites and multi-page articles. This increases the chances of showing display and video ads that can attract more eyes. What do Advertisers think? They are getting a high volume of traffic. The Reality is, The sole purpose of the MFA websites is to bring maximum numbers of ad impressions. However, the truth is not as shiny as it looks. The content and user experience on these websites are way lower than what an advertiser can expect for an ad placement. Users are navigated to non-relatable ads, providing a confusing user experience and in the majority of cases they are also directed to false navigation buttons, to increase page views per session. Some MFA sites also deploy fraudulent techniques like pixel stuffing or ad stacking which enables to loading of ads multiple times delivering maximum views. The thin line of reality of this is it is not seen by the human eye. The Attractive Bait Made-for-advertising websites are an attractive deal for advertisers. Reason? They deliver greater than-average results. According to Ebiquity, the MFA websites deliver a viewability rate of 77% which is way above the media benchmark of 63% as stated by the World Federation of Advertisers. Another selling point for the MFA websites is they have 30-40% lower CPM than other websites. However, the irony is these benefits are a matter of loss for the advertisers. Even though the viewability will be above average, the low-intent clicks will not bring returns. Instead, it is simply a waste of money. Why should Advertisers need to take action against MFA websites? Technically, MFA websites are real websites indexed on search engines. So why should advertisers care if their ads are placed on these websites? Well, every shiny thing is not a diamond. Similarly, these MFA websites might bring a high volume of impressions and show ads to real people but it will not create any brand awareness or bring performance that an advertiser is expecting from an ad placement. What are the risks associated with advertising on MFA websites? Made for advertising is technically not ad fraud, but its impact on a brand is no less than that. If your advertisement is showing up on a made-for-advertising website, then it can have the following impact: Low-quality ad placements: MFA websites are overloaded with ads than content on any of its given pages, which reduces the impact of an ad placement. As a result, an advertiser is paying for a placement that has no engagement. Spike in invalid traffic: Advertisers need to keep a check on the quality of traffic diverting to their website from digital ads. If there is an unusual spike in the traffic but it has a high bounce rate or no end action, then this share of traffic might be attributed to these MFA websites. Damaged brand reputation: MFA websites often use clickbait headlines, emotion-driven stories, fake news, objectionable photos, and other illicit content that advertisers object to being associated with. Appearing beside this content hampers the brand image and leads to a loss of customer trust. Low conversion rate, Poor ROI: Advertising on MFA websites means that your advertising budgets are getting spent on bot clicks. A focused analysis of the funnel performance will help to get transparency of the real quality of ad traffic. How can Advertisers dodge MFA websites during media planning? Stopping MFA websites can be inevitable, but taking the right prevention method will enable advertisers to curb its impact. There are a lot of blame games and finger-pointing happening in the industry about who is accountable for this problem. The SSPs (supply-side platforms) have set policies to forbid publishers from employing MFA site tactics. However, these regulations are not enough to vet the efficacy of the placements in a programmatic setup. Apart from looking at the SSPs and DSPs, advertisers can take the responsibility into their own hands by doing simple maths. If you think that with low CPM, generating a huge number of impressions with little to no action as a result. Or you can spend the same amount and get few impressions but better performance and action from quality traffic. How Advertisers can Maximize their Safety Net? The goal of an MFA website is to make money. Whether it is by showing numerous ads on a single screen, ad inventory that auto-refreshes adding at an abnormal frequency, or numerous links redirecting to further web pages, in some cases unsafe web pages. To avoid being placed on these websites, advertisers need to work with trusted tech partners like mFilterIt. With the transparency of where the ads appear, brands can adhere to the brand safety protocols

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Quick Commerce

Quick Commerce: Are You Aware of Your Product Availability?

Leave a Comment / Blog, Digital Shelf Analytics /

Product availability is the key issue for brands looking to expand their presence across the fast-paced E-Commerce landscape. With more funding coming in, Q-com platforms are getting over the issues that hindered their progress so far. With the expansion of new categories that cater to shoppers’ last-minute needs, quick commerce platforms are expanding their horizons. As more and more brands are turning towards quick commerce platforms around the world, they also need to measure and monitor performance across platforms and geographies. Let’s dive deeper and assess the core issues that brands face on quick commerce platforms and how they can overcome such challenges and boost efficiency across platforms. Different Quick Commerce Platforms Pose Different Challenges Every quick commerce or e-commerce platform has its own set of challenges, with different requirements and regulations for brands to optimize product pages and boost their share of search. Here are some of the key challenges that are roadblocks to brands’ success. 1. Optimizing Product Page Across Quick Commerce Platforms On e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Flipkart perfect page analysis is key for brands to understand what’s working on one platform and not working on the other or vice-versa. eCommerce Competitive analysis at the platform level helps enhance performance on the platform. This means keeping up with the content optimization requirements in the title and description across platforms. However, this approach needs to vary based on the platform. On Quick Commerce platforms optimizing the title became critical along with product images with key ingredient details on them as most q-com platforms do not have detailed product pages. 2. Tracking Product Availability in Real-Time Across Quick Commerce Platforms When a product goes out-of-stock brands for sure lose out to competition as quick commerce users seek rapid fulfillment of their requirements. For example, if a shopper is looking for 5 kg Atta (Flour) and our brand is not available the brand the person generally uses or knows about, the person will simply switch to the next best option and maybe stick to that choice next time. So, the brand not only loses a loyal customer but also loses the shopper’s trust in their brand. This is a very common shopper behavior on quick commerce platforms. The purchase decisions are made quickly based on the best available products along with product pricing and offers. Another such case is availability across platforms, a shopper looking for a specific product of the brand might search on multiple platforms as well. This means brands must monitor their presence across platforms at the pin-code level and on the platform’s dark stores. Case Study – How a Beverage Giant Optimized Product Availability Across Q-Com Platforms A global leader in the beverage industry, in optimizing their performance across platforms and geographies with the Digital Shelf tracker to monitor their products across Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia (AMESA). It mainly focused on enhancing its market presence by monitoring availability which includes Brand Availability Trends Availability share versus competition City-Wise Availability Trends – monthly, weekly, daily, and hourly Platform-wise & geography-wise analysis Heat map to identify new geography to target Tracking Bottlers’ (Sellers) performance Maintaining Out-of-Stock product lists & real-time alerts In October 2023 in the KSA region, product availability on platforms like Quick Market, Carrefour, and Nana stood at 28%, 57%, and 86%, respectively. However, after comprehensive real-time of monitoring stock availability, they were able to identify the gaps and by the end of November, it improved significantly across platforms, soaring to 51%, 100%, and 94% for Quick Market, Carrefour, and Nana, respectively which enhanced their presence across platforms and bolstered their brand reputation. This significant accomplishment was made possible through a data-driven strategic approach of identifying gaps, implementing real-time monitoring of in-stock and out-of-stock products across platforms, and meticulously tracking the performance of bottlers (sellers) across diverse regions. Final Thoughts When products go out of stock it puts every effort that the brand has made to mark their presence on the quick commerce platform to a standstill. The competition is fierce on quick commerce platforms, and the shoppers’ purchase decisions are swift. Brands need to be on their toes and identify new geographies where competition is available, and they are not, and where competition is facing stock-outs to score on every opportunity to become the top choice of the shoppers. Get in touch with our experts for deeper insights. Reach out to learn more!

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E-commerce 2024

E-commerce 2024 – Vision for the Future

Leave a Comment / Blog, Digital Shelf Analytics /

To expect the unexpected thoroughly shows the modern intellect”. These words of Oscar Wilde feel so apt for the post-pandemic world of e-commerce. The ecosystem picked up pace in most unexpected times and pushed the boundaries and expectations beyond what anyone could prepare for. But as the dust settled the brands and platforms are now in an intense race to go beyond just providing convenience and quality. It is about optimizing customer experience and taking efficiency to the next level. 23%–25% year on year growth is expected in India’s e-retail market. By 2028, it will reach over $160 billion USD. (Source: Bain & Co. Report) 2024 is going to be the year where brands and platforms need to efficiently predict what customers need and match the pace of evolving digital commerce ecosystem. E-Commerce vision for the future – Next level customer experience The AI/ML is changing the world as we know it with rapid pace. Brands need swift actions and platforms need wider expansions as customer behavior and needs for enriched experience are evolving. Even the world biggest e-commerce marketplace is pushing it to extend its reach with launch of new features that engage customers like recently launched AI-Generated Review Highlights. It’s a short paragraph featuring most frequently mentioned product feature across written review highlighted on product detail page. Such value to customer sentiments build trust among the new shoppers and leave positive impression. It helps shoppers purchase decision and confidently navigate. It also eases the review submission process and help combat fake reviews. In last decade, Digital native brands selling online-first make up two-thirds of sales among top 10 global e-retailers. (Source: Bain & Co. Report) In past years platforms introduced several innovations some of them specific to the Indian market. This includes features like voice search, product video, and shopping interface in regional language, which helped double the users and its usage year-on-year (YoY). To elevate the shopping experience more platforms are moving towards emerging tools such as augmented reality (AR) and AI-driven solutions in 2024 allowing customers to virtually place products in real-world settings. Pushing for initiatives such as integrated live streaming, live promotions, product highlighting, and utilizing chat features for ease in shopping and handling grievances is making the shopping experience more interactive and engaging. Influencers bring in new shoppers and new revenue streams. Live streams by influencers covering domains like fashion, lifestyle, tech, gaming, home decor, beauty, and sports are new ways to advertise products and platforms. Various marketplace and D2C brands running an Influencer Program to monetize their content and open new shopping avenues. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram are turning into new e-commerce shops bringing extensive reach to shopping platforms. Challenges for Brands and platforms in 2024 The major challenge for brands in 2024 is staying ahead of the competition and exploring new markets. The competition across e-commerce and quick commerce landscape has always been intense but now it’s fiercer than ever. Shoppers now look to explore more options and strive for products that suit their lifestyle choices. Brands that have a wide presence in the physical retail space now moving online for not just sales but visibility in the digital landscape. D2C brands which have their own set of niche audiences are now pushing for online marketplaces to expand to new shoppers. The number of SKUs that need to be monitored has risen as multiple competitors are present across categories, sub-categories, geographies, platforms, and product variants. Real-time monitoring and ecommerce competitive analysis lead to better decision-making and more decisive strategies that help, understand competition, market trends, and customer behavior. Brands monitoring their products on multiple e-commerce quick commerce and e-commerce platforms and adhering to the platform guidelines to optimize performance is key to having as successful 2024. 1 out 3 shoppers are now Gen Z and Tier 2+ cities are dominating the market with 7 out of 10 online shoppers (Source: Bain & Co. Report) For platforms, the major challenge is optimizing efficiencies and enriching the customer experience. With multiple shopping options available across geographies, it is important for platforms to provide a customer experience that makes shoppers prefer their platforms. Quick commerce platforms are not just challenging the e-commerce platforms but also making their own space among shoppers. Quick commerce platforms are got wider acceptance in 2023 and looking to expand more inventory as they move into 2024 with rising presence and demand in tier-2 cities. Swift delivery and an expanding range of product categories have made them the talk of the town for the last-minute needs be it a party, festive celebration, or daily needs. The Final Thought Adapt, learn and keep moving forward. The world of digital shopping is evolving, customer choices and preferences are evolving with individuals looking for products that suits their lifestyle needs. Brands need to keep up with the trends and stay in tune with market dynamics with competitive analytics that provide real-time data and actionable insights that can help shape brands marketing efforts and data-driven decision making. 2024 is going to be a year of evolution where data and tech will drive efficiencies and take customer experience to the next level. What brand need is a digital commerce intelligence companion in 2024 to lead their ways. Get in touch with our experts for deeper insights. Reach out to learn more!

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Digital Advertising Ecosystem

Need For Frequency Capping and Transparency in The Digital Advertising Ecosystem

Leave a Comment / Blog, Digital Advertising /

Reach and Frequency are the two key metrics on which the success of a brand campaign hinges. It’s like instead of conveying your message to 50 people 2 times, you are just sharing the same message 5 times to just 25 people. That results in more impressions but less reach. Therefore, ensuring frequency caps are enforced becomes paramount. So, are your ads getting served to the same audience too many times? Did you know a significant number of impressions are being served on a small number of devices? This challenge prevails across the OTT environments and other mobile app-based placements. This is simply due to a lack of cookie-based measurements on these (cookies don’t work on apps). Let’s demystify the intricacies surrounding metrics like Reach and Frequency and unveil how monitoring frequency capping violations can not only enhance campaign performance but also instill trust in the audience. The Deceptive World of Frequency Measurement Traditionally, marketers have relied on Ad Servers for accurate frequency measurement. Yet, the intricacies within the digital space world present a different narrative. Cookies, which have long been the stalwart of web tracking, lose their efficacy, necessitating a shift to more elusive identifiers like Device ID (Google Advertising ID or IDFA) which can be triggered by the publisher platforms (apps and OTTs). Here is an example of a recent campaign on a LEADING OTT player for a leading meat and seafood brand. As you can see 76.70% of the impressions were violating FCAP thresholds, which means that roughly half of the consumers saw the campaign much more than the required frequency. Another interesting angle is that as the campaign becomes longer, the FCAP violation keeps increasing. Within 11 days it was 76.62% but in the second part of the campaign, it increased to 83.82% in just 3 days [Ref. Fig:1.1]. This means that if you have a longer-running campaign, your control on FCAPs becomes lower and the campaign ends up reaching the same set of audiences. Fig 1.1: F-breach detected for Advertiser #1 Advertiser #1, utilizing a DSP, believed in the presumed capabilities of the publisher. When this is broken down with Device ID-wise numbers, you can see that some consumers saw the ad 15,145 times. Compared to the client threshold of 3, this is a MASSIVE violation of the cap. Imagine the consumer who saw the same ad 15,145 times! The person might remember the brand, but maybe not in a very friendly manner. Fig. 1.2: Top Device ID Frequency Observation What did the DSP’s FCAP report show? It masked this reality, showing an average of 3, leading to wasted ad spend and irritated consumers. Why? Since they didn’t consider Device ID as the parameter (even though it was passed) but used IP. User Agent as a way to measure FCAP. Also, they reported on AVERAGE FCAP which is misleading and doesn’t show the spread of the wastage. The Problem Seen by All Fig. 1.3: Findings by Fou Analytics The problem of frequency violations prevails and can be attested as a genuine issue in the digital ecosystem. According to an analysis done by FouAnalytics, there have been grave scenarios where invalid traffic was seen loading ads and taking active measures to defeat frequency capping. Bots are detected to be rotating device IDs and cookies to trick the ad servers into serving more ads to the bot. And the number of times bots see an ad is surprisingly shocking. As per the findings, there have been instances where as many as 342 times an ad is seen by a bad bot. [Ref to Fig:1.3] Thereby, Frequency Capping intelligence emerges as a critical solution. It serves as a safeguard against overexposure, preventing users from being bombarded with the same ads repeatedly. The efficacy of this practice, however, relies on advertisers actively engaging with publishers and fostering a transparent ecosystem for advertising on Mobile app platforms. Solution to Frequency Capping in Mobile App Platforms One effective strategy involves tracking Google Advertising ID (GAID) and device ID to validate genuine users and identify frequency capping violations. We at mFilterIt recommend playing at Australian casinos with a minimum deposit of $10. You can find a list of such casinos on the page https://casinoau10.com/10-dollars-minimum-deposit/. Inexpensive casinos with many bonuses are waiting for you. At mFilterIt, we set a VAST tag-based campaign where in real time the VAST requests which were violating the threshold were blocked and the wastage controlled. Here in another case of a leading consumer goods brand, the publisher tried to push up to 10% of requests which violated the FCAPs, but due to VAST request blocking in real-time, the campaign was protected and impressions were prevented on repeat users, money was saved and the campaign performance improved. Table 01: A multination consumer goods company ads on a social networking/short video platform The mFilterIt ad fraud solution also identifies the trends in VAST distribution trends and request blocking trends along with impressions distribution by location and impression and event trends. Way Forward As the digital advertising landscape continues to evolve, the need for frequency capping and transparency becomes increasingly apparent. Navigate the complexities of the app-based ecosystem and ensure that campaigns are not only impactful but also delivered with integrity and transparency across the digital ecosystem.

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Social Media Phishing Attacks

Social Media Phishing Explained: Types, Tactics, and How Brands Can Stay Safe

Leave a Comment / Blog, Brand Safety & Protection /

Before 2025, phishing scams were easy to spot with their “sloppy messages”, half-prepared accounts, or messages that showed that it is suspicious. But we are now living in a world of AI, where fraudsters are getting smarter, sneakier and also technologically advanced.   Fraud GPT and Phishing-as-a-Service are things which we are dealing with in today’s digital world. AI has made sloppy messages far more convincing and with one click fraudsters can create a campaign or a social media site page that looks just like yours. You might tell the difference, but your audience can’t.   When they get a fake link on their DM or fake customer care personnel representing your brand, they will believe that it is you.   For brands, this isn’t just a user problem. Every fake page or message tied to your name puts reputation and trust at risk. When customers fall victim, they often blame the brand they thought they were engaging with.  That’s why vigilance on social media is no longer optional. As AI continues to supercharge phishing attempts, brands must act now to protect their users—and their credibility.  In this blog, we’ll explore how AI is reshaping phishing scams on social media, the key tactics scammers use to impersonate brands, and the steps your business can take to safeguard users and maintain trust. By the end, you’ll walk away with a clearer understanding of the threat landscape—and a practical roadmap to stay ahead of it.  What is Social Media Phishing?  Social media phishing scams are deceptive tactics where cybercriminals impersonate trusted brands or individuals on social media platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter etc. to trick users into sharing sensitive information or dupe them. These scams often come in the form of fake accounts, too-good-to-be-true offers, luring messages, or counterfeit promotions, that appear genuine at first glance.   Scammers may post a lucrative click-bait link on a platform, something like, “Work from home and earn ₹50,000 a week with no experience.” When a user clicks on this link, they may be redirected to spoofed websites that steal the personal information of the users. Since they are accessing the link through their social media account, a lot of personal identification information becomes available to the scammers.  For brands, this means that social media phishing is no longer just a consumer issue, it’s a direct threat to reputation, trust, and customer relationships. As the use of social media increases, it tends to increase scams day by day.   How is AI Amplifying Phishing Attacks on Social Media?   Phishing attacks are not new, but with the rise of AI, they’ve become more convincing and harder to spot. Traditionally, phishing relied on poorly written messages or generic scams. Today, AI can generate highly personalized content that looks and feels authentic, making it much easier to trick users.  Here’s how AI is changing the game:  Personalized Messages: AI can scan public profiles and craft phishing messages that sound like they’re from a friend, colleague, or trusted brand.  Realistic Chatbots: Fraudsters now use AI-powered bots to hold natural conversations, lowering a user’s guard before leading them to malicious links.  Deepfake Content: AI-generated images, videos, or voice recordings make it easier to impersonate real people, creating trust where there shouldn’t be any.  Faster Scale: Instead of targeting a handful of users, AI enables scammers to launch thousands of highly tailored phishing attempts in seconds.  For everyday social media users, this means phishing scams are no longer as obvious as they once were.   How do Social Media Phishing Attacks Impact Brands?  Phishing scams have already been a long threat to businesses, but the rise of social media scams has made the problem even more complex. Unlike traditional phishing emails, scams on platforms like Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and more exploit the trust and immediacy of social interactions. This makes them harder to detect and far more damaging to brands.   Here’s how these scams affect businesses:   Loss of Customer Trust: Social media sites is where brands connect most directly with their audience. When fake accounts or websites impersonate your brands or lure followers into scams, customers begin to question the authenticity of your online presence. This eventually results in users feeling betrayed and loss of their trust in your brand. Revenue Loss: Fake deals, giveaways, promotions, and “too-good-to-be-true” offers on social media platforms often redirect potential buyers away from legitimate brand channels. This not only causes missed revenue opportunities but also damages future sales.   Reputational Damage: Social media platforms are a place where any post can get viral within hours. A single phishing scam linked to your brand can spark negative publicity and create lasting reputational harm. Moreover, news related to scams spreads very quickly, often faster than official clarification, making recovery even more difficult. Decline in Customer Loyalty: Customers don’t stick to the brands if they feel unsafe. If someone falls for a phishing scam linked to a fake version of your brand, they may stop engaging with you altogether and switch to the competitors they might trust more. Eventually, if a user interacts with someone claiming to represent a brand they love and trust, they are likely to trust the stranger contacting them. Then, if this person turns out to be a scammer, the user will associate the bad experience with the brand.  What Are the Different Types of Social Media Phishing Techniques?  Scammers use different tricks on social platforms to impersonate brands and deceive users. As a brand manager, understanding these tactics is key to spotting and stopping them early.  Fake Job Offers: On platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook, scammers set up pages that look like official brand accounts and advertise dream jobs. Candidates are asked to share personal data or pay for “application processing”. Not only does the victim lose money, but the brand’s reputation is damaged. Investment Scams: Scammers run Instagram stories and Twitter threads promoting “Limited time crypto investment” or “get-rich-quick” schemes, sometimes even using a brand’s logo or name to seem credible.

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Southeast Asia eCommerce

How Southeast Asia eCommerce Ecosystem is Transforming?

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The eCommerce ecosystem is expanding, with a new global market boom that is offering enormous opportunities to marketers. Southeast Asia is emerging as the next major E-Commerce hotspot. The Southeast Asia market boom is being driven by shifting consumer behavior, increased internet penetration, and young demographics. Platforms like Shopee, Lazada, and Tokopedia dominate the region’s eCommerce digital marketplace.    The eCommerce market size of Southeast Asia is expected to reach $230 billion by 2025.   Let’s take a deeper look at the region’s potential and how new trends are changing its future.  Southeast Asia a new hub for eCommerce businesses  Each country in the SEA region has its unique cultural aspect that influences purchasing patterns, multinational exposure, and ease of doing business have attracted MNCs to Southeast Asia marketplaces while also propelling local digital brands.    However, the patterns and shopping experiences differ significantly from mature eCommerce marketplaces such as the US and China. The changing customer preferences and rising markets have opened new prospects for brands entering the SEA market. The challenge now is to adapt to new requirements while also meeting customer expectations by improving the purchasing experience.    As compared to countries like China, where the population is declining, the SEA working population is rising and is expected to reach 23 million by 2030 (Source-Brain & Co. Report). The household income is also predicted to reach a new high of 51 million (upper and middle class) by 2030.  Rise in Consumption The combination of rising household income and an expanding working class has increased consumption. By 2030, the market is estimated to gain more than 140 million new users. That amount is nearly 16% of the estimated global custom base.   According to Brain & Co. Report, the region is expected to have 402 million digital consumers by 2027, with Indonesia leading the way, followed by the Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand.   Southeast Asia could become the ‘next China’ in terms of eCommerce growth potential if the current trajectory of e-commerce as a percentage of total sales and the surge in overall sales.   Shift in Customer Behavior   Millennials and Generation Z are driving growth in Southeast Asia’s eCommerce market. Southeast Asia study reports,60 percent of digital consumers in 6 countries are unsure what they want to buy when buying on online platforms.    Impulse purchasing and product discovery when browsing, particularly in non-essential categories such as fashion clothing and consumer electronics, are the top sectors with tremendous potential.    In other words, people primarily find new things when browsing, especially in non-essential categories such as clothes and consumer goods such as electronics.    Patterns directing the Southeast Asian market   Brands targeting nations like Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, in the region adapting to reach the country’s technological progress and consumer habits is the recipe for digital commerce success.   Trends Guiding the SEA market Brands targeting nations like Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Indonesia, in the region adapting to each country’s technological progress and consumer habits is the recipe for digital commerce success. The rise of mobile commerce The majority of Southeast Asian consumers now shop online using their mobile devices. This trend is being driven by the growing availability of smartphones and affordable data plans. Brands need to ensure that their websites and apps are optimized for mobile devices to reach this growing market. The growth of social commerce Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are becoming increasingly important for e-commerce in Southeast Asia. Brands can use social media to reach a wider audience, promote their products, and drive sales. The increasing popularity of online marketplaces Online marketplaces like Shopee, Lazada, and Tokopedia are becoming the go-to destinations for online shopping in Southeast Asia. Brands can benefit from selling their products on these marketplaces by tapping into their large customer base and getting access to their logistics and payment solutions. The focus on convenience Southeast Asian consumers are increasingly looking for convenience when shopping online. This means that brands need to offer fast and reliable delivery, as well as easy and secure payment methods. The importance of personalization Southeast Asian consumers are looking for brands that can provide them with a personalized shopping experience. This means that brands need to collect data about their customers and use it to tailor their offerings. Final Thoughts The young and feisty Southeast Asian market has touched new highs with a massive influx of brands eyeing the market. Every country in the region has a different level of penetration of eCommerce but the potential of the region is immense. The customer behavior has a lot in common with China and Korea as K-pop idols set fashion trends and Tik-Tok Shops are making waves in omni-channel eCommerce. However, the core issues in the competitive landscape are optimizing product listing and monitoring availability, keyword share, and tracking customer feedback. The mScanIt, ecommerce competitive intelligence helps brand navigate through the digital commerce ecosystem with a global dashboard to monitor product performance versus competition across categories, platforms, and countries. In this ever-evolving ecosystem brands need to be spot on identifying opportunities to stay ahead. Get in touch to learn more about brand safety in the digital ecosystem.

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Middle East eCommerce

Middle East eCommerce: The Expanding Market with Massive Purchase Potential

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The digital transformation of the region is nothing less than an Arabian knight tale. The expanding landscape and diverse eCommerce ecosystem are all set to lead the global eCommerce world. Countries like Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain are the key markets that make up the core of the region.   But what does it take to be a hero in this expanding e-commerce landscape?   In simple terms – Know your competitor, stay on top of the market dynamics & trends, and tap the pulse of Middle Eastern shoppers.   As the story unfolds it requires a deeper understanding of the Middle East e-commerce landscape. So, let’s dive deeper to understand how business can drive brands in this digital ecosystem.   Middle East eCommerce – Explore, Identify and Don’t miss out on opportunities The Middle East region holds a special position in the global eCommerce ecosystem with rapid advancement in technology, the adoption rate of eCommerce, evolving and maturing consumer behavior, and internet penetration beyond tier-1 cities in the region leading market expansion and economic growth.   Digital Expansion Post-pandemic the global eCommerce market has experienced growth beyond traditional retail channels driven by an expanding number of digital shoppers. The global market is expected to touch USD 6.35 trillion by 2027*. The proliferation of smartphones, high-speed internet connectivity, and the convenience of online shopping are the key contributors to the global eCommerce upswing.   The region has risen above the challenges like the limited payment options with the adoption of swift payment options like direct carrier billing. The lack of trust in online retailers, and a preference for in-store shopping were also key challenges but the rise of online purchases and quality services by global brands has built brand trust across platforms in the Middle East digital ecosystem. Such improvement in infrastructure propels digital expansion.   According to the Mordor Intelligence report, the size of the MENA region’s ecommerce market will almost double by 2028 compared to 2023. The expected CAGR is 11.5%, and with the MENA countries’ combined GDP of US$3.9 trillion, the region shows potential for fast growth in the ecommerce market. Evolving Consumer Behavior   The Middle East has taken center stage in the global eCommerce market with massive room for expansion as several countries in the region and tier-2 cities of the most active countries are exploring the prospects of online shopping with higher access to technology and internet penetration. The support from the governments is helping the region overcome major challenges like lack of trust in online retailers, preference for in-store shopping, and limited payment options.   A notable shift in consumer has triggered post-pandemic as shoppers turned to e-commerce platforms for daily needs, electronics, and other essential goods. Convenience, product choices, and competitive marketplaces have opened new opportunities for shoppers. The market presents exciting opportunities for international brands venturing into the market along with opportunities to target expatriate populations with brands they are familiar with. The Middle Eastern young and tech-savvy population presents a vast consumer base for e-commerce expansion.  The young and tech-savvy shopping population with rising disposable income is making up a large consumer base and the market is expected to touch base with USD 50 billion by 2025. *  *Source: Deloitte | A Middle East Point of View – Summer 2023 Not just the Middle East but the entire MENA region is experiencing a massive surge in e-commerce across categories. The key drivers of this growth are rising internet penetration, rising consumer demand for value and convenience, and extensive reach of e-commerce and quick commerce intelligence platforms.  The region under the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and MENA countries like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and African countries has grown exponentially post-pandemic.   Platform Revenue Amazon.ae US$520.1m  Trendyol US$3,215.7m Ounass.ae US$15.3m  Noon US$251.7m  Amazon.sa US$126.1m  Souq.com US$82.4m  Basharacare.com US$6.6m Mumzworld US$67.5m  Fig 01: The top revenue-generating eCommerce platforms in the Middle East region |Source: Vitro Commerce (This will be illustrated as a chart)   Middle East eCommerce Trends Growth Across Categories The shopping patterns across eCommerce platforms are different across digital ecosystems same stands for the Middle East but the core difference is the purchase potential and inclination towards online shopping.   A Blend of local brands and global names Even the biggest name in the retail market sells their product with local packaging using local language and push variants that cater to the local Flavors and cultural preferences.   Adoption of Digital Payments Digital payments are one of the core challenges in the Middle East region. The rise of Direct Carrier Billing (DCB) for swift transactions along with mobile wallets is building a payment ecosystem that encourages online hopping with integration on various marketplaces.   Focus on enhancing customer experience The need for convenience is the utmost need of the shoppers. With the rise of value-first shoppers across digital ecosystems, brands focus on providing seamless customer journeys.   Rise of Quick Commerce The expansion of the digital ecosystem demands swift delivery. The same-day delivery need has led to the rise of Quick commerce intelligence platforms in the Middle East region.   eCommerce Future in Middle East The future of e-commerce heavily relies on well-connected, digitally savvy audiences. And the MENA region has it all! Retail penetration in the region is now around 11–12% and keeps growing. Over 80% of buyers use mobile devices, and 70% of them use social media to reach the seller.   eCommerce in the Middle East statistics and trends show that Internet penetration is close to 100%, and 80% of users already buy through the internet. This is a great target audience of potential buyers for new sellers. In general, 85% of all buyers are tech-savvy and accept paying digitally.   The population’s growing buying capabilities and the building of new e-commerce initiatives by governments suggest the MENA region has a promising and thriving e-commerce future ahead of it. This makes it perfect for those who are looking for a place to start their e-commerce business.   Final thoughts The opportunities in the MENA region are unmatched. The wide variation in product categories and high purchase

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Quick Commerce

Woes in Quick Commerce: How to Optimize Your Product listings

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The rising wave of quick commerce is leading spoiling customers of choices – now the 15 minutes delivery needs are expanding across segments. The quick commerce ecosystem works differently than eCommerce marketplaces where customers spend more time in product consideration & evaluation. Here promos, availability, product bundling & combos, enticing offers on banners what attract shoppers. Here we are going to explore what makes tracking quick commerce performance for brand so essential. The challenges and what they need to catch the pace of quick commerce platform. Hot spot for Last-Minute Needs Quick commerce platforms target the daily needs of shoppers and entice shoppers to turn small ticket purchases into large volume with impulse purchases. It bundles products or categorizes them as per the needs of shoppers like party needs, puja or festive needs, daily groceries, or anything that you need at the last minute. It starts with adding just one item that you need to your cart but ends up adding more items in related categories into the cart.  This turns the low-ticket purchases into a larger shopping bag. It’s more like your neighbourhood grocery store but with product categories and products variants. Quick Commerce platforms sell at micro level with dark stores. The demand from one region varies from the other that makes availability, product categorizing and product bundling key or brands to monitor. The quick commerce sector in India currently has a market size of $700 million and is likely to grow 8 times to reach a $5.5 billion market value by 2025. The addressable market of this industry is projected to be around $60 billion. | Source: ET Retail The challenges brands face on Quick Commerce platforms   Optimizing Quick commerce Product Listings: The listing on Quick commerce needs to be tagged into to specific categories where shoppers look for with accurate category tag- listings. As quick commerce products do not have extensive product description – brands need to comply with platform-specific guidelines to show the various images of the packet with ingredient details on it. Mastering Pricing Analysis in Quick Commerce: Another core challenge for brands is setting the price and promotional offers This requires apt bundling of the products under the same category. For example, a detergent power paired with 2 soap bars or stain remover liquid. But the catch here is the resellers bundle their product without brands being aware of and damaging brand reputation and product worth. Efficiency of Q-com Banner: Brand must be aware of what shoppers are looking for and ensure that is promoted on the brands ad banner theme for example during Raksha Bandhan a top chocolate brand offering celebration offer and offering high promotional offers during the peak hours of the festive season. Brands must be aware of ad traffic but also the performance and compliance of the banner ad with notification on if it is running on slotted time, visibility of banner, theme and keywords on the banners. How Digital commerce intelligence on quick commerce platforms will lead the way Quick commerce platforms have taken the retail industry by storm, revolutionizing the way consumers shop for everyday goods. Brands are realizing the immense potential in this space and are actively looking to optimize every step of the customer journey. Brands need to optimize very step of customer journey across quick commerce platforms to edge ahead. Real-Time Stock Availability Alerts One of the crucial aspects of quick commerce is ensuring that products are available when customers want them. Real-time stock availability alerts can help brands keep track of inventory levels across various outlets. When an item goes out of stock, the system can instantly trigger alerts to replenish the inventory. This ensures that customers are not disappointed due to stockouts, enhancing their overall shopping experience. Enhance Share of Search with Title Keywords In the digital realm, visibility is key. Brands must optimize their product listings with relevant title keywords to improve their share of search. When customers search for products, having the right keywords in product titles can boost your products’ chances of being discovered. Digital commerce intelligence tools can help identify the most relevant and high-impact keywords for your products, increasing your visibility on quick commerce platforms. Optimize Banner Performance Banners play a significant role in attracting and engaging customers on quick commerce platforms. Brands should continuously optimize banner performance by focusing on images, themes, and keywords. Digital commerce intelligence tools can provide insights into which banners are performing well and which need improvement. By analysing customer interactions and click-through rates, brands can fine-tune their banners to drive more conversions. Track Pricing & Promo Trends Pricing and promotions are crucial factors that influence customer buying decisions. Brands must closely monitor pricing and discount trends in the quick commerce space. Digital commerce intelligence can help track competitor pricing strategies and identify opportunities to offer competitive prices or attractive promotions. Staying ahead of pricing trends can give brands a significant advantage in the market. Opportunities in Quick commerce What seems like a turbulent time for Indian Quick commerce platforms turned upside down with hefty investment into Zepto and it became the first unicorn of 2023. Zepto, a grocery delivery company, secured a massive $200 million in fresh funds and were valued at a whopping $1.4 billion. On the other hand, Q1 FY24 of Zomato-owned Blink It made 384 crore revenue over 2140 Crore Gross Order Value with reduced EBITDA for the quarter. The platforms are looking to be innovative and investing in dark stores with more focus on swift delivery and a larger assortment. This is the perfect time for brands to focus on Quick commerce and overcome the optimization hurdles with digital commerce intelligence. Final Thoughts Quick commerce is reshaping the way consumers shop, and brands need to adapt to this evolving landscape. The competition across quick commerce platforms is growing with more choices for the shoppers across categories. The competitive landscape requires swift monitoring of product performances versus competition and data-driven decision strategies. By keeping track of stock availability, enhancing share of search, optimizing banner performance, and

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