Google pulls out 1.7 billion bad ads from sites

Google pulled out 1.7 billion bad ads from sites with machine learning technology in 2016, an official, Ms Jenn Kaiser, has said.

Kaiser, the Head of Ads PR, Europe, Middle East and Africa for Google and YouTube, gave the figure on Monday in Johannesburg, South Africa.

She spoke on “Good Advertising, Our Products and Policies’’ at a Google Online Advertising Conference for Media Personnel.

According to the official, some of the bad ads are misleading and redirect someone to other sites.

Kaiser assured the global business community that policy enforcement by Google would ensure that bad ads would not infiltrate sites easily.

She said that Google would provide tools that would ensure good decision making for advertisers and publishers involved in online ads.

“Google policies are evolving; this is to ensure that bad ads do not infiltrate sites easily.

“This has to do with regulation changes from various countries, legal and user safety market trends and technology.

“The changes are made through investigations, user feedbacks and market trends that have to do with emerging businesses,” she said.

Kaiser said that the policy would be valuable and transparent for it to make the required impact.

The official warned that one could be blocked from the Google ecosystem if seen as a constant defaulter, although access could be returned later.

According to the official, by Feb. 15, Google Chrome would have a feature that ensures good ads on sites in the North America and Europe.

Speaking on “Online Video Advertising and YouTube for Business,” Mr Jonathan Andrews, Agency Relationships Manager, Google South Africa, advised ad brand managers to have safety measures online.

“To make the brand safe, it should be measurable, suitable with a customised setting, and simple by creating it clearly and consistently across the platform,’’ he said.

Andrews also called brand managers to ensure content suitability, adding that a good brand should be attractive and able to connect and direct.

The official also advised brand managers to consider the audibility and viewability of online ads to enable people to watch them.
According to him, the greatest gain in brand impact is in the first six to 15 seconds of an ad.

He advised managers to make the news impact without delay.

Andrews said that key changes in Google policy in 2017 were aimed at ensuring brand safety online.