Invalid Traffic (IVT)

Definition:
Invalid traffic includes any clicks, impressions, or interactions that do not originate from real users or do not meet platform compliance standards.

Types of IVT:

• GIVT (General): Bots, crawlers, data center traffic

• SIVT (Sophisticated): Click farms, spoofed traffic, fraudulent attribution

Why it matters:
IVT inflates costs and distorts campaign data. Platforms may filter it, but not always refund it unless disputed.

Best practices:

• Regularly audit IPs, placements, and click paths

• Monitor for spikes in bounce rate or zero-second clicks

• Use blacklist filtering and ad fraud monitoring tools