Ad fraud a huge challenge for Indian marketers in 2022, reveals Integral Ad Science study

Ad fraud a huge challenge for Indian marketers in 2022, reveals Integral Ad Science study

The report surveyed as many as 151 Indian digital advertising professionals across India.

Integral Ad Science

Mumbai: Majority of Indian marketers surveyed consider ad fraud to be a great concern across mobile environments in 2022, according to the latest Industry Pulse Report released by Integral Ad Science.

According to the report, as many as 78 per cent of respondents said that ad fraud will remain a great concern across mobile environments this year and at least 26 per cent said mobile web video environments will be among the most vulnerable in terms of brand risk. The respondents believed that contextual targeting solutions (74 per cent) and third-party verification (72 per cent) will be important to ensure brand safety in mobile environments.

“As the ongoing pandemic has driven consumers to embrace hybrid lifestyles and digital experiences, digital advertisers pivoted their strategies globally to emphasise mobile, social media, CTV, and digital audio. This scenario is similar in India. However, in India, brands are becoming more conscious of the importance of quality impressions and safe brand environments. As a result, the role of verification partners is gaining prominence in creating a safe and transparent setting for brands,” said IAS commercial lead Saurabh Khattar.

The Indian edition of the report released recently found that improving mobile experiences, measuring quality for social media campaigns, and the emergence of digital video and audio are top considerations in the year ahead. The report also provides insights into the emerging trends and priorities that will drive change in digital advertising across India in 2022. The results are based on the responses of 151 Indian digital advertising professionals representing brands, agencies, publishers, and ad tech vendors in November 2021.

According to the report, these key priorities will guide the year ahead:

Marketers bet on mobile and social media

India continues to be a mobile-first market, with 77 per cent of respondents making it a top priority in 2022. Mobile internet users in the country are expected to surpass 600 million this year. Mobile ad spend in India is set to grow 27 per cent to surpass $2 billion in 2022, representing nearly two-third of overall digital ad-spend in the country.

71 per cent of media experts in India said they will prioritise social platforms. With over 450 million social media users in India, the medium is rife with opportunities for marketers. YouTube ranks as the top choice for 82 per cent of respondents, closely followed by Facebook (80 per cent), and Instagram (77 per cent).

Increased focus on mobile video and ad fraud

As consumers gain faster 5G mobile connections, nearly eight-in-ten (78 per cent) media experts bet on mobile video streaming being one of the biggest opportunities. However, with this growth, the threat of ad fraud looms large; 78 per cent of respondents agree that ad fraud will be a greater concern across mobile environments this year. 26% of respondents also agreed that mobile web video environments will be among the most vulnerable in terms of brand risk. As a result, respondents believe contextual targeting solutions (74 per cent) and third-party verification (72 per cent) will be important to ensure brand safety in mobile environments.

Quality matters for social media campaigns

Over 86 per cent of marketers are concerned about the vulnerability of social channels to ad fraud. Experts also pointed to insufficient transparency and eroding consumer trust, with 65 per cent and 62 per cent of respondents, respectively, citing these key factors as cause for adjusting their spending in 2022.

Digital video and audio ready to take off

The Indian audience continues to transition from linear TV and terrestrial radio to digital streaming channels such as CTV, OTT, and podcasts. As new consumer habits developed during the pandemic, 80 per cent of respondents anticipate an accelerating transition from linear TV consumption to digital video streaming this year, while over seven in 10 agreed that audio listeners will shift towards digital alternatives. However, 68 per cent of media experts anticipate higher brand risk with audio streaming content as more inventory becomes available. Ultimately, 68 per cent of respondents agreed that third-party verification will be important to ensure the quality of audio streaming inventory.

Media quality takes a team effort: With ad budgets at stake, brands and verification tech providers play a pivotal role in mitigating ad fraud and brand risk. 45 per cent of respondents noted that verification tech providers are responsible for ad fraud mitigation, while 38 per cent say brands should lead these efforts.