Snapchat has become an increasingly popular platform for businesses to advertise on. With over 229 million daily active users, it provides a huge potential audience. Snapchat ads can be an effective way for brands to reach younger demographics. However, as with any platform, there are risks associated with buying ads on Snapchat. In this article, we will examine the safety of purchasing Snapchat ads, looking at factors like ad fraud, data privacy, and ad content moderation.
What are the risks of ad fraud on Snapchat?
Ad fraud is a major concern across digital advertising, and Snapchat is not immune. Here are some of the ad fraud risks to be aware of on Snapchat:
Bots and fake accounts
Some fake Snapchat accounts are bots or inactive accounts used to inflate ad metrics and campaigns. Advertisers may end up wasting budget on ads served to these non-human accounts. Snapchat has been taking action to crack down on fake and spammy accounts. However, some risks remain, especially from more sophisticated bot networks.
Click fraud
With click-based Snapchat ads, there is potential for click fraud. This involves bots or bad actors artificially generating clicks on ads to drain campaign budgets. Snapchat uses technologies like machine learning to detect fraudulent activity. However, advertisers should still monitor campaign metrics for any suspicious clicks.
Impression and view fraud
Display and video Snapchat ads can also be targets of impression and view fraud. Bots or scripts may automatically load/view ads in the background to falsely increase view counts. Thankfully, Snapchat and other major platforms are getting better at identifying and filtering out this kind of invalid traffic.
Pixel stuffing
This involves stuffing ads with invisible pixels to trick ad trackers into thinking an ad was viewed. Snapchat has mechanisms to prevent pixel stuffing, but advertisers should still scrutinize performance reports.
How does Snapchat protect advertiser data and privacy?
Data privacy is important for any digital platform. Here’s an overview of how Snapchat handles advertiser data:
Data access restrictions
Snapchat limits employee data access through permissions, encryption, audits and other security controls. Only certain teams like Analytics have access to advertiser data on a need-to-know basis.
Anonymization and aggregation
Where possible, Snapchat anonymizes and aggregates advertiser data before analysis and reporting. This protects privacy by removing personally identifiable information.
Data retention and deletion
Snapchat implements data retention policies to help minimize the data they store. Accounts and related data are deleted once inactive for a set period of time.
GDPR compliance
For EU users, Snapchat complies with GDPR regulations around data privacy rights, consent, breach notification and international data transfers.
Advertising Policies
Snapchat’s advertising policies prohibit the unauthorized collection and use of user data. Advertisers must comply with their data and privacy standards. Violations can result in account suspension.
Overall, Snapchat takes data security and privacy seriously. However, absolute guarantees are rare. Advertisers should exercise caution when providing Snapchat with any sensitive business or customer data.
What controls does Snapchat have over ad content?
Snapchat has rules in place to control the types of ads and content allowed on their platform:
Pre-approval process
Most Snap Ads require approval before going live. Snapchat checks ads against their content policies for any prohibited products, claims or creative material. Rejection rates are high – 75% for certain verticals.
Blacklisted websites
Links in Snapchat ads are scanned against lists of known malicious/deceptive websites. Ads linking to blacklisted sites will get rejected.
Restricted categories
Certain ad categories are completely banned from advertising on Snapchat, like illegal drugs, tobacco, weapons, adult content and more. Other categories have restrictions – for example, Snap’s advertising guidelines for gambling and dating advertisers.
Ongoing monitoring
In addition to pre-approvals, Snapchat also monitors and rate checks live ads on their platform. They can pause or stop running ads found in violation of policies.
User reporting
Users can report inappropriate ads on Snapchat. These get reviewed by Snap’s moderation teams for potential policy violations.
Penalties for violations
Advertisers who repeatedly violate Snap’s ad policies may face consequences like temporary account suspensions or permanent bans.
So Snapchat does exert strong control over ad content and placements. However, some objectionable ads may occasionally slip through given the large volume of submissions.
Conclusion
Here are some key takeaways on the safety of buying Snapchat ads:
– Ad fraud exists but Snapchat deploys advanced protections against bots, fake traffic and other threats. Stay vigilant for any suspicious campaign activity.
– Snapchat takes data privacy seriously and safeguards advertiser data. But provide minimal sensitive data and monitor use closely.
– Snap thoroughly vets and monitors ad content for policy compliance. But their sheer scale means some inappropriate ads will likely appear.
– For most brands, Snapchat ads present a relatively safe opportunity to engage younger audiences. But exercise caution and do risk assessment like any platform.
Overall, Snapchat ads can be considered reasonably safe for many advertisers. However, it’s smart practice to assess risks, test conservatively, and monitor campaign performance closely. With adequate precautions, Snapchat ads can be an effective marketing channel.