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Pity Clicks?

by WebSlicers
18 replies
I read in some blog that a good way of saying thanks to a blog that you read is to click on the ads on the site.

I've seen many reaction on the said blog and some strongly disagrees on this and even pointed out that advertisers would see their ROI drop from these ads, causing them to either cancel the ads or negotiate lower prices because of this 'pity clicks'.

At first I thought that clicking the ads on a good blog that you read is ok. It's like, as the author puts it, a 'tip' to the author for the good read.

While clicking the ad would mean just like going to a mall and not buying anything at all, what will be it's impact on the advertisers?

How about you, what do you have to say about this?
#clicks #pity
  • Profile picture of the author write-stuff
    It's click fraud. I wouldn't do it.
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  • Profile picture of the author dean mcevoy
    i do it at times.

    if someone has done a good job then i say help them out a bit.
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    • Profile picture of the author Clark
      Originally Posted by dean mcevoy View Post

      i do it at times.

      if someone has done a good job then i say help them out a bit.
      When you finally discover & implement the covert strategy of site targeting and have to pay for one's generosity clicks to the blog/website owner then you'll change your tune quickly when you see your ROI tumble.

      Don't do it 'cause you should know better than that.
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  • Profile picture of the author Darth Executor
    I do, but only if they have something interesting linked so I don't waste the advertiser's money.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dan Grossman
    Originally Posted by WebSlicers View Post

    While clicking the ad would mean just like going to a mall and not buying anything at all, what will be it's impact on the advertisers?
    No, it's like going to a mall and taking a little money out of a few stores' cash registers before leaving.

    You understand that we advertisers pay *per click* right?

    You're tipping the publisher with the advertiser's money. And that advertiser is you and me and every other marketer that runs AdWords ads. Tip with your own money not mine.
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  • Profile picture of the author Emailrevealer
    Thats an interesting way of looking at it. I usually click on an ad for a fellow warrior if it looks like someyhinmg interesting.
    Isn't that what ads are for? To see what they're about?
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    • Profile picture of the author Gene Pimentel
      Originally Posted by Emailrevealer View Post

      Thats an interesting way of looking at it. I usually click on an ad for a fellow warrior if it looks like someyhinmg interesting.
      Isn't that what ads are for? To see what they're about?
      Clicking on an ad because you're sincerely interested is completely different from clicking on an ad because you want to do the website owner a 'favor'. As previously mentioned, you're using someone elses' money to do the favor.

      Two people are having a discussion on the sidewalk in front of your store. One decides he wants to do the other a 'favor' so he walks into your store, takes a few quarters out of your cash register and gives it to the other. What would your reaction be to this behavior?
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  • Profile picture of the author Eric Land
    Ive thought about this also but when you think about it in the view of if your the one loosing the .5 cents because someone wants to thank the blog writer it would piss you off.

    Basically its wasting the advertisers money which is not nice
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  • Profile picture of the author mookinman
    I must admit, I have been guilty of doing this in the past... But some of the responses here make a very good point that it's using someone else's money to give a "tip", so that's kind of put me off doing it future!
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    • Profile picture of the author Wakunahum
      Contact them and tell them to set up a donate button if you want to tip them.

      Clicking on other people's ads isn't probably the best practice in the world.
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  • Profile picture of the author Destin Cribbs
    Yes if the advertiser keeps close track of their ROI you might actually be hurting that bloggers income since an uninterested click might make the advertiser pull his advertisement off the blog since he isn't making any sales or leads with all those "pity clicks" coming from the blog, so this week the blogger might see a bigger check but next week will have to accept a lower price for clicks or find new advertisers all together :-/
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  • Profile picture of the author Emailrevealer
    back whaen I was using PPC I did wind up pulling all the content ads because they weren't converting. But I suspect most of that fraud was my competitors.
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    • Profile picture of the author adamv
      If the ad links to a site you are interested in seeing, then go ahead and click.

      If the click is for no other reason than to make some money for the blog owner then it's wrong, it's like tipping the blog owner with someone else's money.
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      • Profile picture of the author sinemra
        As mentioned by others, it's dishonest. You're being "generous" with other people's money. If you think the blog is that good, send the blogger an email and get their paypal details, then directly in their paypal account with your money.
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  • Profile picture of the author PaulGee
    It's dishonest. Just don't do it.
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  • Profile picture of the author MizzCindy
    Nope, I would not do that. As stated above, it is costing someone, and over time the effects of those clicks will impact the whole process.

    However, if there is something I'm in the market for, I will make a point to purchase from an ad on a particular blogger's (or warior's) site if they've provided something of value to me.

    Karma, baby!

    Cindy
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  • Profile picture of the author WebSlicers
    But how can you tell the difference between pity clicks and genuine clicks?
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    • Profile picture of the author Roger Mayne
      Originally Posted by WebSlicers View Post

      But how can you tell the difference between pity clicks and genuine clicks?
      You can't. But it looks as though click fraud is rife across the net. All you can do is monitor your conversions. If they don't convert well, you either reword your ads, or you pull the campaign altogether.
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