Chilean Nei Analytics fights fake traffic bots with AI

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Contxto – Fight fire with fire. Or in Chilean NEI Analytics’ case, fight fake traffic bots with artificial intelligence (AI) software.

This startup from Santiago is aware of how some traffic bots were designed to generate fake clicks on online ads and developed AI tech to protect companies from this form of fraud.

At the moment, Nei Analytics has clients in Chile and Colombia. However, it told Contxto that negotiations are underway with potential businesses and as a result, it may enter Peru and Mexico sometime this year.

The startup also stated that a new feature is inbound for the second half of 2020. Through it, businesses will receive daily recommendations on how to improve their marketing through Google Ads.

Fake news? Try fake traffic

Everyone is wary and (should be) well-aware of fake news and how it works. But have you ever heard of fake traffic and click bots?

For marketers, they’re a pain in the you-know-where because these bots for fraudulent purposes, click like crazy on an ad. The ad may be hosted on a fake website so in the end, the fraudster gets paid for these clicks on their site and is on their merry way.

Meanwhile, the company has to pay for these clicks that didn’t turn into leads for marketers and sales teams. What’s more, the business’ advertising budget takes a major and ineffective hit.

And this is just so happens to be the type of situation that Nei Analytics’ first client faced.

Nei Analytics, consultants turned battlers of bots

Alejandro Brücher founded the startup in 2018.

“We’d started out as an AI consulting firm,” explained Nei Analytics in written correspondence.

“But our first client asked us to do an analysis of fake traffic from different sources to their website. Upon carrying out the investigation, we realized there was a niche to create a system that protects [businesses] from these types of attacks using AI.”

The software the startup created observes traffic to a site and learns to identify “normal” patterns. When anomalies are detected, it shields the company’s ads from these bots and posers so they aren’t visible for them to click on anymore.

Now with its upcoming feature, not only will it take on fake bots, but Nei Analytics will also aim to help users better evaluate their marketing strategy through three daily recommendations.

The startup reports that poor awareness of this fraud scheme is a big challenge it has to take on as well when addressing potential customers.

So, take note, if you’re observing a lot of traffic from paid ads to your site, but nothing comes of it, you may be the victim of ROBOTS. Er, fake traffic bots.

So run!