Over the past year, Made for Advertising (MFA) sites have come under scrutiny. Designed primarily for ad purposes, MFA sites often offer inferior, and at times, fraudulent user experiences. This increased focus has raised concerns among advertisers, regulators and users alike due to unethical practices employed by these sites such as excessive, irrelevant ads and even deceptive advertising.
Despite opposition, MFA sites continue to operate because they generate substantial revenue in the advertising technology realm. Unfortunately, the content on these sites tends to be low-quality and irrelevant, serving only as a backdrop for the ads. This creates an unfair competitive environment as genuine publishers must compete for visibility with these deceptive sites.
MFA sites have adapted to offer opportunities for improved performance indicators using ad exchanges. These sites provide inexpensive ad inventory which impacts key metrics like viewability. Moreover, advancements in generative AI technology have made it more affordable and easier to produce mass articles, reinforcing their contribution in the digital marketing landscape.
While critics argue removing MFA sites would cause a shortage of ad inventory, it’s important to note the central issues promoting MFA sites would persist, such as the need for cheap and high-volume inventory.
Examining MFA sites’ deceptive advertising tactics
MFA sites fill a gap in the market by providing a systematic and cost-effective method for advertisers. However, they perpetuate a low-barrier, low-quality market which can damage the advertising ecosystem. Therefore, a more sustainable alternative is needed that still maintains affordability and high-volume inventory while ensuring ethical practices are adhered to.
Premium publishers suffer the most from MFA as they often unknowingly purchase such content, which then misuses the ad revenues and diminishes the value for both the publisher and the viewer. Despite claims of protection from DSPs and SSPs, without a sincere commitment to self-regulation, these promises lack weight. Therefore, it’s crucial to continuously implement and maintain measures against MFA to maintain the quality and authenticity of content.
Suppression attempts of MFA sites have not been successful and have caused sizeable losses for premium content creators. This ongoing issue calls for more diligence in monitoring publishing practices and stricter penalties from regulatory bodies. A more comprehensive solution is urgently needed.
The term ‘open-market inventory’ has become linked with MFA, potentially leading to a shift towards more strategic MFA adoption. Even though MFA may not be the best solution for everyone, companies should stay updated on the latest developments in the ad tech landscape, and understand how they can align their business objectives with MFA practices, while also identifying possible pitfalls and ways to mitigate them effectively.
