What is Bot Traffic?

Bot traffic is automated or semi-automated visits and clicks without real user intent: scripts, headless browsers, datacenter IPs, inflation to burn competitor budget or fake publisher volume.

It does not convert to leads or sales; it wastes spend, poisons algorithm learning, and can trigger account bans for suspected fraud. In tracker reports: high CTR with zero CR and odd UA patterns.

Risk sources

• Cheap pop/push without antifraud.
• Compromised sites in display/native RTB.
• Search click fraud on competitor brand keywords.

Defense

Tracker fraud filters, IP/ISP blocklists, landing captcha, network antifraud (Anura, Forensiq), IVT monitoring. Cut placements and zones with bot spikes.

Vs. incentivized

Bot — no human at all; incent — human with fake motivation. Both violate quality traffic policies.

See also: click fraud, approval rate, pop traffic, RTB feed traffic.