Is this considered click fraud?

I have an account with 7search. I have bid for the no. 1 spot on some keywords. While going through my logs I tend to visit some of the sites that people are clicking from. When visiting the sites I notice that I am not at no. 1 for some of the results. I will be down the list. I contacted 7search and they tell me that the affiliates have the option of putting me wherever they want in the results. I check my reports on 7search and see that I am being charged for the no. 1 spot everytime someone clicks on my ad. Even though I am not at no. 1 nor anywhere near it.

I responded by asking if the affiliates are being paid the same as if I were in the no. 1 spot. No response yet.

I am wondering if this is considered fraud. I pay well for those spots and find I am not getting what I pay for.

Anyone else run into this?

If you're not happy with the results your achieving then look for a nother means of advertising. Related specifically to your issues, have you reduced your level and reviewed your performance?

Review your terms and be sure that amount covers 3rd party domains.

Fraud...that is a big word to use, might consider revisiting your use.

"If you're not happy with the results your achieving then look for a nother means of advertising"

This has nothing to do with whether I'm happy with my results or not. That is not the issue.

The issue is my paying for a spot and then not getting it and still being charged for it. Plain and simple. If you pay for 50 yard line seats at the superbowl... and then show up and find you are being seated elsewhere. You'd be a bit upset.

"Related specifically to your issues, have you reduced your level and reviewed your performance?"

What issues are you talking about? I think you are assuming I'm getting crappy results and am pissed about it and want to bitch about it. Just the opposite, I've been pleased with my results. But, if I am being overcharged, I'm gonna say something.

"Review your terms and be sure that amount covers 3rd party domains."

I have and nothing is mentioned in all the terms (that I can find) that says 3rd parties may put my listing in any position they want but will still bill me for the no. 1 spot. If anyone else knows about this, I'd be interested to know.

I haven't run into this kind of problem yet, but it sure sounds like a "trick" (you don't think it might still be a mistake ?)

IMO, at a minimum it is unethical and can be argued as being fraudulent. Their contract is with you the buyer not with your affiliates. They should honor their commitment.

You are spending the money so you have the choices and the power.
There are plenty of ppc programs out there and in you are not 100% happy with the results just take your budget somewhere else.

If you're not happy with the results ... demand an explanation and hold 7search accountable. That's the only way this business will ever get cleaned up. Don't let it slide.

Click fraud is a strong word ... so you need to make sure you're using it correctly. If it's true, use it as often and as loudly as possible. That's the only way this business will ever get cleaned up. Don't let it slide.

If the ads you are seeing on the 7search affiliate sites are a block of ads or "sponsored search results" being fed directly from 7search ... *AND* if the search was done on the exact keyword you bid for ... then you need to take that up with 7search. It would appear they are not delivering what they promised.

However, if those searches are targeting a different keyword, it may be that your ad is being added to the bottom of a list as a "related" search result, or something like that.

This all assumes these are just simple search results, not ads displayed on websites. That gets more complicated, since with good ad placement algorithms, the subject matter of the website is taken into consideration, too. With many PPC advertisers, you can configure the keywords for broad match, exact match, etc. ... not sure about 7search.

Actually, I did receive a reply from them and they openly admit that it is happening.

"Thank you for contacting 7search.com! Please understand that affiliates are not paid the same, they are paid based on what you are bidding. You do not always appear on all affiliates sites within first place, affiliates who intersperse their results with ours may have another advertiser who pays more and will rank higher. We appreciate your time and patience in allowing us to respond to your inquiry. I hope I have adeuqately addressed all your concerns."

So apparently the answer is Yes, I WAS being charged for a first place spot but not receiving the first place spot. It shouldn't matter who is displaying my ads. It should be up to 7-search to honor my bid.

So, take heed. If you are using 7-search make sure you are getting what you pay for.

Was their traffic converting?

Hi Steve-O,

Usually a PPC will feed other search engines the top N listings. Those affiliate engines take the top N listings and display them where ever they want to. They may have multiple feeds from different PPC's and display their results based on the bids. So, while you are number one on 7Search for a certain amount, another feed to that affiliate may have someone higher therfore you do not show up on the affiliate as number one.

You are setting a bid price so that you are number one on 7Search. That gaurantees that you will be fed to their partners because you are for sure in the top N.

Hi Steve-O,

Usually a PPC will feed other search engines the top N listings. Those affiliate engines take the top N listings and display them where ever they want to. They may have multiple feeds from different PPC's and display their results based on the bids. So, while you are number one on 7Search for a certain amount, another feed to that affiliate may have someone higher, therefore you do not show up on the affiliate as number one.

You are setting a bid price so that you are number one on 7Search. That guarantees that you will be fed to their partners because you are for sure in the top N.

BidRank really understood your problem and looked at it from the advertisers point of view. That is what happends. Even though you probably pay quite a lot for the 7search ads, other feeds may be paid even for more. Also I've used 7search feeds and found them to repeat themselfs for many combination of keywords, this really bothered me so I actually preffered to grant the first x results for any search to other feeds that are more relevant and insure me of a click. Consider this another possible reason for your add not being on the 1st spot. As an end-user I always appreciate a good add description to a 1st positioned one.