How Tapper Uses Session Recordings to Identify Fraudulent Behavior

Session Recordings: A Key Feature 

Tapper leverages session recordings to detect fraudulent behavior by analyzing hundreds of data points. This proactive approach helps block bots, out-of-geo clicks, and other suspicious traffic.

Spotting Bots from Session Videos 

You might wonder how bots and fraudulent behavior can be identified from session recordings. This post explains the differences between human and bot behavior and how to spot them in your dashboard.

Human Behavior Online 

Typically, a human visitor spends at least 10 seconds on a page, allowing time for information to load and be scanned. Engagement increases with more content, like videos or lengthy articles. Human mouse movements or screen touches are generally fluid.

Bot Behavior Online

Click bots engage minimally to bypass fraud filters. Their interactions are often linear, rigid, or erratic. Bots usually don't click other links and exhibit behavior that seems unnatural.

Identifying Fake Engagement

Fake engagement often involves minimal interaction. For example, users from PTC (paid-to-click) sites might click on your ads and leave quickly. However, genuine visitors might also leave quickly if the product isn't right for them or if the webpage has issues.

How Tapper Detects Fraudulent Traffic

Tapper uses more than just session recordings to block invalid traffic. Indicators of fraudulent behavior include:

• Browser and operating system: Bots often use custom browsers and non-consumer operating systems.
• Location: Invalid traffic often originates from out-of-geo or non-targeted areas, even when using VPNs.
• VPN usage: Commonly used by ad fraud operators to hide their true location.
• User agent spoofing: A mismatch in user agent information can indicate fraud.
• Click thresholds: Frequent clicks within a short period suggest fraudulent activity.
• IP addresses: Repeated clicks from the same IP address can be blocked.
• Developer tools and stealth browsers: Legitimate tools misused for fraudulent activity.

Tapper also employs machine learning to stay ahead of evolving click fraud trends.

Using Session Recordings 

Available for pro and advanced subscribers, the behavior analysis tool can be enabled by adding the Tapper tracking code to your website. Once clicks are blocked, you can view session recordings in the Clicks Report section of the Fraud Analytics dashboard.

Is Click Fraud a Real Problem? 

Click fraud is more prevalent than ever. Competitors and fraud operators target ads, and ad platforms can't catch everything. Tapper helps customers block an additional 14% of fraudulent traffic, saving thousands of dollars each month. If you run high-competition or high-priced keyword ads, consider running a traffic audit.