Invalid traffic (IVT)

Invalid traffic (IVT) is ad clicks or views that do not come from a real person with genuine interest. The Media Rating Council's June 2020 standard splits it in two. General invalid traffic is caught by routine filters, such as lists of known bots and data centers. Sophisticated invalid traffic needs deeper analysis. It includes hijacked devices, click farms and forced clicks.

Google also counts accidental clicks as invalid, and does not charge for invalid clicks it detects. Example: a DMO sees hundreds of clicks from one site but no partner referrals. That pattern is worth checking for IVT before blaming the ad.

Related: cost per click · CPM · attribution window