Lindsay Valdez
Freestar / VP, Audience Strategy
With the newly released Google AI Overviews, misinformation on the internet seems to be at an all time high. Fueled by the unchecked proliferation of AI generated content, misinformation has now become a pandemic, eroding trust from users. With the evolution of technology such as AIO, ChatGPT and Gemini, it’s imperative to fully understand the impact that publishing made-for-advertising content has on all of us.
While there isn’t always one clear black-and-white way to identify Made-For-Advertising (MFA) websites, the classification most commonly describes those designed solely to capture ad revenue through minimal effort and low-quality content.
Last year, the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) reported that of the $88 billion spent on open web programmatic ads, $22 billion goes to made-for-advertising websites.This would account for an overall 21% of impressions and 15% of ad spend.
The ANA’s exact words to describe the ROI for the advertiser was “wasteful and unproductive”. At Freestar, we’re not only shy about our distaste for MFA websites but also have quality requirements in place to detect this type of business and deny them from entering our network. For any publisher who is borderline MFA, or that struggles with website quality, UX or ad density issues, we have an expert team of audience strategists happy to help create the right strategy to get back on track.
While the web remains a breeding ground for misinformation, it’s more important than ever that we support true journalism, quality content and accurate information, while continuing to shine light on why MFA websites perpetually fuel these.
Another term often intertwined with made-for-advertising is ad arbitrage, and to fully understand the damage of MFA, it’s helpful to know the basics of how this concept works. Just like any other arb strategy, a profit is made from buying something and then selling it for more than you paid. In ad tech, ad impressions and traffic to those impressions are purchased with the desire that the CPMs received from the traffic will be more than the purchased ad impressions. For this model to be lucrative, you must pay less for the traffic than what you will make through the ad impressions.
When a publisher’s revenue relies on this strategy, low-effort content (often filled with misinformation) and clickbait headlines are typically part of the mix.
So, how do we detect these MFA websites?
1. Low-quality content
MFA monetization relies on volume, and because of this, quantity is prioritized over quality. When scale is the number one goal, articles will often lack depth, accuracy, and value. Content is often superficial, lacking depth, and frequently filled with sensationalized headlines or misleading information which becomes a clickbait as it may not have been edited or have any human involvement for that matter — which impacts digital accessibility
2. Clickbait headlines
MFA websites serve as a fertile ground for clickbait doing whatever it takes for the click. Clickbait titles often exaggerate or misrepresent the actual content of the article, leaving users feeling frustrated or tricked. This can lead to a poor brand reputation, a bad user experience and the spread of misinformation with a negative impact on advertising
3. Echo Chambers
The pursuit of maximizing clicks and ad revenue can lead to content where individuals are exposed primarily to information, opinions, or beliefs that reinforce their existing views. This widely covered phenomenon can occur in social media platforms, online communities, and in more traditional media consumption mediums like articles.
Polarization:
Because MFA websites are largely visited by a similar pool of people, they can easily contribute to creating echo chambers, a place where users are only exposed to information that aligns with their existing beliefs.
Echo chambers can facilitate the spread of misinformation and disinformation, as unverified or false information that aligns with the group’s views is more likely to be accepted and shared.
4. Exploitation of Vulnerable Communities
The made-for-advertising model will ultimately lead to cutting corners on not just quality, but also integrity. MFA websites often target vulnerable communities with specific disinformation campaigns that limit their perspective.
One example of this is marketing content that exploits economic vulnerability. Marginalized communities, including low-income individuals, can be more susceptible to clickbait and sensationalist content designed to attract clicks. MFA sites can exploit these vulnerabilities by targeting ads that promise quick fixes or financial relief.
This targeted misinformation can deepen existing distrust in online information in these already marginalized communities.
5. Algorithmic Amplification
In May, 14,000 top-secret documents from Google’s search algorithm API were leaked, revealing exactly how reliant Google is on Chrome clickstream data. Facebook has historically been the same, using engagement data as performance signals.
This means they may inadvertently amplify MFA content through their algorithms, which are designed to prioritize engaging content. When false or sensationalized content is receiving higher visibility, misinformation spreads like a wildfire, than otherwise reliable, fact-checked information.
Overall, MFA websites undermine the quality and authenticity of online information, disrupt user experience, and contribute to the spread of misinformation, all of which have significant implications for digital media and public trust. Efforts to combat misinformation must address the underlying motivations and business models of MFA websites.