Basics
What is CIDR notation?
CIDR stands for Classless Inter-Domain Routing. It is a set of Internet protocol standards that is used to create unique identifiers for networks and individual devices. Basically, CIDR notation is used to represent individual IP addresses or IP ranges. CIDR is used for both IPv4 and IPv6 addresses and ranges. A CIDR IP addresses consist of two groups of numbers (bits). The primary bit group is the network address, and it is used to identify a network or a sub-network (subnet). TheSome readersWhat is GCLID?
GCLID stands for Google Click Identifier, which is a unique tracking parameter that Google uses to transfer information between your Google Ads account and your Google Analytics account. This parameter is used by Analytics to enable information about a particular user's session. It is also used by ClickGUARD to identify individual ad clicks. GCLID is being included in the final URL of your ads as a result of the "auto-tagging" option being turned on.Some readersWhat is a proxy/VPN or Tor?
Proxy A proxy server is an application between you and the Internet (eg. a computer or virtual machine) that hides your IP address. By using it, you are able to mask the activity to make it appear as if it was originating from a different location. Proxies are used to access region-locked content and to remain anonymous online, as well as for nefarious activities including fraud. VPN VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. This method allows you to create a secure connectioSome readersWhat is an ad placement?
Ad placements are websites and mobile apps on Google's Display Network where your (display) ads can appear. Within the Display Network, a placement can represent an entire website, specific pages from a website, an individual ad unit on a single page, a video, a mobile phone app, and more. You can also choose specific locations where you would like your ads to show by adding managed placements. You can also let Google choose placements for you automatically - based on your keywoFew readersDoes ClickGUARD track IPv6 addresses?
Yes. ClickGUARD tracks both IPv4 and IPv6 addresses. Does ClickGUARD ever represent IPv6 as IPv4? No. While there are systems that will "convert" IPv6 addresses to IPv4 (actually transform them into a lower-capacity address space), ClickGUARD always shows IP addresses in their full form. Systems that show IPv6 addresses as IPv4 actually lose information as the IPv4 address they are showing is an address of a hosting node that operates within the IPv6 address space meaning a single IPFew readersWhat is an IP address?
IP stands for Internet Protocol. An IP (Internet Protocol) address is the address of a specific network hardware (computer, router, switch, hub, etc). It is necessary for connecting a computer to other devices on a network and all over the world (via Internet). Specific network adapters (hardware used to connect to a network) have their own addresses, called MAC addresses. An IP Address is made up of numbers or characters. The format depends on the version of the protocol, which can be IFew readersWhat is the difference between IPv4 and IPv6?
What is IPv4 (Internet Protocol Version 4)? IPv4 is the most widely deployed Internet protocol used to connect devices to the Internet. IPv4 uses a 32-bit address scheme allowing for a total of 2^32 addresses (just over 4 billion addresses). With the growth of the Internet it is expected that the number of unused IPv4 addresses will eventually run out because every device -- including computers, smartphones and game consoles -- that connects to the Internet requireFew readersDoes ClickGUARD website tracking code influence page load speed?
ClickGUARD website tracking code has no impact on page load times based on the following: It’s loaded asynchronously, therefore not impeding loading of the page itself It’s not modifying the visual representation of the page except in the case where a popup warning is shown to the offender, which is done after the page loads How is the code loaded asynchronously? By making this script async ClickGUARD literally tells the browser not to depend anything on loading the scriptFew readersWhy does ClickGUARD track organic traffic?
ClickGUARD provides protection and optimization for paid Google Ads campaigns. Tracking organic clicks is an extremely important aspect of paid click tracking as it enables us to: measure total pages visited after an ad click measure total time spent on site after an ad click - throughout the browser session, not just on the ad's landing page measure visitor's overall interaction with website gauge if the visitor is a bot capture conversions after ad clicks - beyond the landing pageFew readersWhat is a MAC address?
MAC stands for Media Access Control, and a MAC address is a unique identifier assigned to a network interface controller (NIC). A NIC can be a part of an Ethernet adapter, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth module used to connect to a network. Basically, this is the address of the network adapter hardware. A typical MAC address contains six groups of two hexadecimal digits, separated by hyphens, colons, or without a separator: Without a MAC addresses it would be impossible to distingFew readersDoes ClickGUARD track IP addresses?
ClickGUARD logs IP addresses of devices making ad clicks by tracking clicks via the Google Ads tracking template. IP addresses of devices that generate organic traffic on your website are also logged via the website tracking code. Logging and processing IP addresses, running them against several billion different nodes of information available about specific IP addresses, IP ranges and their past behavior is crucial to combating click fraud and reducing wasteful ad traffic. ClickGUARD is ablFew readersDoes ClickGUARD support web session recording?
ClickGUARD does not record web sessions. There are many services out there that specialize in this functionality and deliver recordings for the purpose of understanding how users interact with your website. Reviewing hundreds or thousands of web session recordings is an extremely tedious and unscalable way of fighting click fraud and dealing with unwanted ad traffic. After reviewing a recording, you would have to manually block out the click source in case it doesn't meet your criteria. IFew readersDoes ClickGUARD track MAC addresses?
The scope of a MAC address is limited to private network segments, making MAC addresses invisible to remote Internet nodes. That means MAC address is not accessible to ClickGUARD at the time of tracking clicks. Devices do not broadcast MAC addresses of their network hardware while users browse the Internet or interact with ads.Few readersWhat is an IP address range?
IP address range is a collection of multiple IP addresses. An ISPs (Internet Service Provider) IP infrastructure consists of reserved IP ranges with IP addresses they assign to users of their networks. How are IP ranges represented? IP address ranges are represented with different formats. Here is an example of a private network IPv4 range that contains 65,536 IP addresses between 192.168.0.0 and 192.168.255.255 given in a wildcard format and CIDR format:Few readersWhat Types of Click Fraud Can ClickGUARD Help You Identify and Prevent?
Fraudulent traffic can be a significant problem for online advertisers, resulting in wasted budgets and decreased ROI. ClickGUARD's advanced system uses machine learning algorithms to identify and prevent a wide range of fraudulent click types. Here are some of the types of fraud that ClickGUARD helps to catch: Unwanted Clicks: Coming from visitors that are not interested in the advertised content, but not necessarily fraudulent. They can still result in wasted budgeFew readers
Google Ads
How to remove ClickGUARD as manager in Google Ads?
Important: Removing ClickGUARD's access to your Google Ads does not stop your ClickGUARD subscription or TRIAL. You can view managers of your Google Ads account by choosing "Tools & Settings" "SETUP" "Account Access": If you wish to remove ClickGUARD's manager access to your Google Ads, find ClickGUARD within "Managers" tab and click "REMOVE ACCESS" in the "Actions" column: (https://storage.crPopularHow to remove ClickGUARDs oAuth access?
Important: Removing ClickGUARD's access to your Google Ads does not stop your ClickGUARD subscription or TRIAL. To remove ClickGUARD's oAuth access to your Google account, follow these steps: Login to your Google account Go to "Security" (link in the sidebar) Scroll down to "Third-party apps with account access" and select "Manage third-party access" Find ClickGUARD on the list and chose to "Some readersHow to find your Google Ads account number?
You can find your account number by logging in and accessing your Google Ads account. It will be shown in the top right corner of your Google Ads UI: When you need your account number - for example to add your account to ClickGUARD - you can simply copy it:Some readersHow does ClickGUARD remove exclusions in Google Ads?
When the exclusion period for an IP address, IP range or an ad placement expires, or you decide to manually un-exclude (unblock) an entity with ClickGUARD, the system instructs Google to remove the exclusion record from the affected campaign(s). In the back, ClickGUARD sends a message to Google via Google Ads API and awaits for the response to confirm that the given entity is removed from the exclusion list. Every single exclusion is tracked via the Exclusions Dashboard so you can seSome readersHow to remove tracking template from Google Ads?
If you need to remove a tracking template, you can do so in your Google Ads account, based on the level you originally installed it on (account, campaign or ad level). Removing tracking template on account level Go to the "Account Settings" by clicking on the link in your sidebar (on the left side in Google Ads UI): Open the "Tracking" panel, delete the tracking template and then hit "Save": (httFew readersGoogle Ads limit of blocked IP addresses per campaign
Google Ads allows blocking / excluding up to 500 IP addresses or IP address ranges for each campaign. This is one of the many limiting factors of the platform but it has a big influence on click fraud protection. How does ClickGUARD work around the 500 IPs limit? ClickGUARD intelligently manages your blocking list to make sure that: there's always room for new blocks what needs to be blocked, remains blocked This means that our protection system will perform periodical and impFew readersWhat happens when an ad placement is excluded in Google Ads?
When ClickGUARD excludes an ad placement in Google Ads, Google will stop showing ads to on that placement - for the campaign(s) where the exclusion occurred. This means no new ad impressions will be generated on this placement for every campaign where it was excluded. How did ClickGUARD exclude the placement? Based on your rules or a manual exclusion action, ClickGUARD added an exclusion entry within the placement exclusion list of the affected campaign(s). This is doneFew readersDoes ClickGUARD work with Google Ads parallel tracking?
Yes. ClickGUARD's Google Ads tracking template works with parallel tracking. The only difference between using parallel tracking and the previous model is that ClickGUARD no longer forwards visitors to your landing pages as a proxy, but rather logs and processes information about the click in the background. Are there any issues with custom tracking templates? Even if you're using custom tracking templates on account (or lower) level ClickGUARD's tracking will not be affected by pFew readersWhat is parallel tracking in Google Ads?
In short, with parallel tracking, customers who click on your ads are sent directly to your landing page while click tracking and measurement happens in the background. ClickGUARD fully supports parallel tracking. This means that your ads lead directly to your landing pages, where tracking via tracking templates happens in parallel, independent from the journey customers take after clicking on the ad. There are no redirects and there is no danger of the journey taking any additional time duFew readersHow to accept ClickGUARD's manager invite?
When you add your Google Ads account via ClickGUARD MCC, Google will send an invite to that account. You can view the invite by choosing "Tools & Settings" "SETUP" "Account Access": Look for the invite in the "Managers" tab: Click on the "ACCEPT" option to accept the invite: (https://storage.crisp.chat/useFew readersHow fast does ClickGUARD block in Google Ads?
In most cases blocking is instant, meaning ClickGUARD will make the exclusion in Google Ads immediately upon the blocking action being triggered. However, especially when ad clicks and blocking actions are frequent, Google API presents technical limitations that could delay the exclusion. Blocking speed can depend on several factors: Google API availability and stress (frequency of changes being made) - waiting for the API to accept the block can create a delay If campaign that is bFew readersHow to see blocked IPs and IP ranges in Google Ads?
You can see all IP and IP range exclusions for a specific campaign in Google Ads by visiting campaign settings. Select the campaign you want to check, and then hit "Settings" in the left sidebar menu: Expand "Additional Settings": You will find the excluded IP / IP range under "IP exclusions": (https://storage.Few readersManager (MCC) Access VS Google oAuth Access
There are 3 ways ClickGUARD can access to protect and optimize a Google Ads account: direct access via your Google account manager (MCC) access - preferred for advanced data-driven users access via linked MCC account All access types are valid and safe and they all ensure ClickGUARD can work with your Google Ads. Direct (oAauth) Access When you're using your Google account (email) to manage a Google Ads account, you can authorize ClickGUARD with that Google account (email)Few readersHow does ClickGUARD make exclusions in Google Ads?
When an exclusion is created in ClickGUARD, manually or when protection settings (rules) are triggered, ClickGUARD instructs Google Ads to create an exclusion record for the affected campaign(s). These instructions include: IP address blocks IP range blocks ad placement exclusions In the back, ClickGUARD sends a message to Google via Google Ads API and awaits for the response to confirm that the given entity is excluded. IP addresses, IP ranges and ad placements are usuFew readersWhat is the difference between a Standard Google Ads account and a Manager (MCC) Account?
A standard Google Ads account is an advertiser's account with Google, used to advertise one or more websites across Google's range of advertising channels. A manager (MCC) account is a Google Ads account that you can use to view and manage multiple Google Ads accounts, including other manager accounts, from a single account. Limitations of MCC accounts There are several limitations for manager accounts: The maximum number of active Google Ads accounts your manager account can beFew readersHow to see excluded ad placements in Google Ads?
You can see all placement exclusions for a specific campaign in Google Ads within the Exclusions section. Select the campaign you want to check and go to "Placements" "Exclusions" in your left sidebar menu: You will find the placement within your list of exclusions:Few readersIs Direct (oAuth) Access More Secure?
The short answer to this question is: no. Direct (oAuth) access is not more secure than manager (MCC) access. Regardless of the type of access you chose for your Google Ads account the person or organisation you authorised to access your account has full access to view and modify your data. The only difference between oAuth and MCC access in regards to the security of your data is that MCC access also enables access to Google Ads UI. However, both access types enable full accFew readersWhat happens when IP address or IP range is blocked in Google Ads?
When ClickGUARD blocks an IP address or IP address range in Google Ads, Google will stop showing ads to visitors coming from this IP or IP range - for the campaign(s) where the block occurred. This means no new ad impressions will be generated for every campaign where the given entity is blocked. How did ClickGUARD block the IP / IP range? Based on your rules or a manual blocking action, ClickGUARD added an exclusion entry within the exclusion list of the affected campaigFew readersWhy do I have to approve ClickGUARD as a manager for my Google Ads account?
In order for ClickGUARD to be able to protect and optimize your Google Ads campaigns we need to be able to access the account. This can be done in two ways: via ClickGUARD's manager (MCC) account, by adding ClickGUARD as a manager via oAuth, by authorizing your Google account to be used by ClickGUARD When is approval necessary? If you added a Google Ads account to ClickGUARD via ClickGUARD's manager (MCC) account during setup or through your Accounts page, we sent an invite tFew readersWhat is the Google Ads account number?
Google Ads account number or customer ID is a unique number used to identify a Google Ads account. The account number is used to link your account with ClickGUARD.Few readers
Facebook Ads
How to create offline conversion data sets?
How to Create an Offline Event Set for Your Meta Ads If you're running Meta ads, one of the essential steps to connect your Account with ClickGUARD is to create an offline event set. In this article, we'll guide you through the steps to create an offline event set and measure the real-world impact of your ads. Creating an Offline Event Set Go to Events Manager Navigate to the green plus sign and select Connect data sources Choose Offline and then Connect Name your offline eventFew readersHow does ClickGUARD block visitors in Meta Ads?
In Meta Ads, we can block visitors from seeing your ads by adding them to a custom audience, and then excluding that audience from your ad sets by updating their targeting specifications. During account initialization, ClickGUARD creates a new custom audience where we'll be collecting all the bad visitors, and we can automatically exclude this audience on all your ad sets. When an ad click triggers one of the rules in our system, we are sending and event to Meta Ads to identify the visitorFew readersHow to setup click tracking with Meta Ads?
In order for ClickGUARD to track paid traffic coming from Meta Ads, you need to install tracking code on your website. That is all. :) How to install ClickGUARD tracking code? Tracking code will pick up the parameters forwarded by Meta Ads to your landing page, and report ad traffic to ClickGUARD.Few readers
Platform Support
Does ClickGUARD support Facebook Ads?
We're thrilled to announce that ClickGUARD now offers protection for Facebook Ads! We know that advertising on Facebook can be a critical part of your marketing strategy, but it also comes with the risk of FRAUDULENT, WASTEFUL low-quality clicks that can hurt your budget. That's why we've been working hard to develop the tools necessary to provide our industry-leading click fraud protection for Facebook Ads. With our protection in place, you can be confident that your FacebFew readersDoes ClickGUARD support Display Campaigns?
With Display campaigns you can reach people outside of Google’s search engine results, through text, image, and video banner displays that appear on various web based and app placements as users browse the web, use apps, or watch videos. Display ads are extremely susceptible to click fraud where shady ad publishers generate a large quantity of wasteful ad traffic that simply does not convert. With ClickGUARD you can set automated rules that leverage IP and IP address range exclusioFew readersDoes ClickGUARD support Search Campaigns?
With Search campaigns you can place ads across Google's vast network of search results. Your ads are shown to people searching for products and services online. Search campaigns are extremely affected by click fraud and generate a large quantity of wasteful ad traffic that depletes your advertising budget without yielding results. With ClickGUARD you can set automated rules that leverage IP and IP address range exclusions to protect your Search advertising budget and optimize yourFew readersDoes ClickGUARD support Bing Ads / Microsoft Advertising?
Currently ClickGUARD does not support Microsoft Advertising (previously known as Bing Ads). Their API currently does not allow automation of IP address blocking or ad placement exclusion so we are unable to automate protection from fraudulent or low-quality sources of ad clicks. ClickGUARD has petitioned with Bing along with other ad tech solution providers but has not had any success in triggering the necessary changes yet. When the above changes ClickGUARD will work to support Bing Ads wFew readersDoes ClickGUARD support Native Ads?
At the moment, ClickGUARD works exclusively with Google Ads and does not provide out-of-the-box support for alternative ad vendors. ClickGUARD is integration-ready meaning it can be integrated into other platforms and modified to support various advertising channels. Contact ClickGUARD support via support+integrations@clickguard.com or the chat application on our website for additional information on custom integrations. Does ClickGUARD log clicks from native advertising platforms? ClFew readersDoes ClickGUARD support Instagram Ads?
We're excited to announce that ClickGUARD now offers protection for Instagram Ads! We understand that advertising on Instagram can be an important part of your marketing strategy, but it also comes with the risk of FRAUDULENT or WASTEFUL clicks that can eat into your budget and hurt your ROI. That's why we've been working hard to develop the tools necessary to provide our industry-leading click fraud protection and waste mitigation system for Instagram Ads. With ouFew readersDoes ClickGUARD support Video (YouTube) Campaigns?
With Video ads you can advertize directly on YouTube, which is owned by Google and it is one of the most-visited sites on the web, creating plenty of opportunities to engage potential customers. Click forensics supported Google Ads ClickGUARD is able to track clicks from Video campaigns via the tracking template and provide click forensics. This makes it possible for you to actively measure the performance of your Video campaigns and make manual adjustments. Exclusions notFew readersDoes ClickGUARD support Twitter Ads?
ClickGUARD currently works exclusively with Google Ads. At the moment Twitter Advertising Platform does not provide the necessary tools to automate protection from fraudulent or low-quality paid traffic by means of exclusion of bad click sources. While our tools could help detect problematic traffic from Twitter Ads, there is simply no way to properly react to prevent it from being repetitive and disrupting for the advertiser. Does ClickGUARD log clicks from Twitter Ads? Yes. CFew readersDoes ClickGUARD support call-only ads and extensions?
Call-only ads are designed to result in calls made directly from Google's search result page, as opposed to search or display ads, where the ad impression results in a click. Same goes for call-only extensions, as they offer the same click-to-call functionality for call-ready devices (e.g. smartphones). While ClickGUARD can track and process ad clicks, the system cannot track calls, as the data available upon clicks (e.g. IP address) is not obtainable during phone calls. Without actionable dataFew readersDoes ClickGUARD support Shopping Campaigns?
Shopping campaigns are an advanced form of ads shown in search results, which show key purchasing information (product photos, price, ratings). They are used in eCommerce brands. Due to competitive nature of eCommerce, Shopping campaigns are notorious for competitor click fraud and imply a huge quantity of wasteful ad traffic that depletes your advertising budget without resulting in sales. With ClickGUARD you can set automated rules that leverage IP and IP address range exclusionsFew readersDoes ClickGUARD support LinkedIn Ads?
ClickGUARD currently works exclusively with Google Ads. At the moment LinkedIn Ads does not provide the necessary tools to automate protection from fraudulent or low-quality paid traffic by means of exclusion of bad click sources. While our tools could help detect problematic traffic from LinkedIn Ads, there is simply no way to properly react to prevent it from being repetitive and disrupting for the advertiser. Does ClickGUARD log clicks from LinkedIn Ads? Yes. Clicks that come fromFew readersDoes ClickGUARD support App Campaigns?
App campaigns streamline the process of promoting (mobile) apps across Google’s properties: Search, Google Play, YouTube, Discover on Google Search, and the Google Display Network. At the moment ClickGUARD does not fully support App campaigns. You can use ClickGUARD to protect and optimize your advertising efforts If you are promoting your app through Search, Display or Shopping campaigns.Few readersDoes ClickGUARD support AdWords Express?
ClickGUARD provides limited support for AdWords Express accounts. AdWords Express accounts are completely managed by Google. They focus on ads and not ad campaigns so they don’t always feature the ability to block IP addresses like a regular AdWords account. This limits the account in terms of click fraud protection. ClickGUARD will still work with all underlying campaigns created by AdWords. What do I do to fully protect my account? We suggest converting your account to a regulaFew readersDoes ClickGUARD support smart campaigns?
Smart campaigns are completely managed by Google Ads. They cannot be managed by the user (outside of defining the ad itself and changing budget), meaning they do not support introducing campaign criteria such as negative keywords or IP/placement exclusions. While smart campaigns can, in some cases, be tracked with ClickGUARD (if tracking template is installed on the account level), ClickGUARD cannot create exclusions. Therefore ClickGUARD's optimisation tools do not support smart campaigns.Few readersDoes ClickGUARD support Google AdSense and Google AdMob?
Google AdSense and Google AdMob are services for ad publishers. ClickGUARD works directly with ad buyers - advertisers. Our tools are currently available exclusively for Google Ads. Have you adopted ads.txt? Ad publishers can be seriously hurt by click fraud, starting with ad vendors blacklisting their web assets and preventing them from being able to show ads. ClickGUARD recommends looking into ads.txt, which helps by specifying a mechanism for ad publishers to list theirFew readers
Tips & Tricks
How to enable support access to your Google Ads account?
If you've linked Google Ads with ClickGUARD by adding it to ClickGUARD's manager account, we can already access it, therefore this manual is reserved for accounts added via oAuth. There are cases when ClickGUARD is unable to help you configure your Google Ads account without temporarily accessing your Google Ads account. In these cases, we might ask you to provide temporary access to your account for our support team. In order to do so, please follow these steps: Login to Google Ads and go toSome readersHow to request refunds from Google Ads?
In order to request a refund from Google Ads based on the data on suspicious and fraudulent ad clicks, you have to fill in their click quality form available here to request a manual investigation on their end. The form requires a click log to be submitted. You can easily obtain the data from ClickGUARD by logging in and visiting Click Reports Clicks. There you can filter out the time period for which you're requesting a refund, iFew readersHow to view changes made by ClickGUARD in Google Ads change history?
When ClickGUARD makes changes to your Google Ads account they remain logged within your change history. You will always be able to differentiate between changes made by you or other users who have access to your Ads account. This is not possible when you authorize a service to access your Ads via oAuth as changes made by these services are logged under your own account email - as if you made them yourself. To view changes, just click on the "Change history" link in your Google Ads sidebar. YoFew readers