Content Outline

1. Introduction
   • A. Overview of Ad Fraud
   • B. Impact of Ad Fraud on Businesses
2. Types of Ad Fraud
   • A. Click Fraud
   • B. Impression Fraud
   • C. Conversion Fraud
3. Common Warning Signs of Ad Fraud
   • A. Sudden Drop in ROI
   • B. Abnormal Click Patterns
   • C. Suspicious Traffic Sources
4. Tools and Strategies to Combat Ad Fraud
   • A. Ad Fraud Detection Software
   • B. Implementing Click Fraud Filters
   • C. Regularly Monitoring Ad Campaigns
5. Conclusion

An Introduction to Avoiding Ad Fraud:

Welcome to our guide on avoiding ad fraud, a critical issue that affects digital marketing strategies worldwide. In today's online ecosystem, where digital advertising plays a pivotal role in reaching target audiences, ad fraud has become a major concern for businesses seeking to maximize their ROI. Let's delve into the key insights and strategies to protect your ad campaigns and ensure they deliver the desired results.

• Understanding Ad Fraud: Ad fraud encompasses various malicious activities that aim to deceive advertisers, such as invalid clicks, impression fraud, and bot traffic. According to a report by the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), ad fraud resulted in an estimated $6.5 billion in wasted ad spend in 2019 source.
• Types of Ad Fraud: Common types of ad fraud include click farms, pixel stuffing, and domain spoofing. Click farms are operated by humans or bots that generate fake clicks on ads to inflate engagement metrics. Pixel stuffing involves placing multiple ads within a single ad space, leading to false impressions. Domain spoofing occurs when fraudsters misrepresent the sites where ads are displayed.
• Impact on Businesses: Ad fraud not only drains advertising budgets but also undermines the effectiveness of marketing campaigns. It can distort performance metrics, skew targeting efforts, and erode trust between advertisers and publishers. As a result, businesses may struggle to achieve their desired ROI and customer acquisition goals.

By taking proactive measures to combat ad fraud, such as implementing fraud detection tools, monitoring traffic quality, and partnering with reputable ad networks, businesses can safeguard their ad investments and enhance campaign performance. Stay tuned for our upcoming articles, where we will delve deeper into strategies for detecting and mitigating ad fraud in your digital marketing initiatives.

Introduction - A. Overview of Ad Fraud

Ad fraud is a significant issue in the digital marketing landscape, affecting businesses of all sizes. In order to maximize the effectiveness of advertising campaigns and protect your budget, it is crucial to have a good understanding of ad fraud and how to avoid falling victim to it. In this section, we will provide an overview of ad fraud and highlight key points to help you navigate this complex challenge and minimize its impact on your marketing efforts while increasing website revenue.

• What is Ad Fraud?: Ad fraud refers to the practice of generating illegitimate or fraudulent interactions with online advertisements, with the aim of misleading advertisers and profiting from their advertising spend. Common forms of ad fraud include click fraud, impression fraud, and affiliate fraud.
• Impact of Ad Fraud: Ad fraud results in wasted advertising budgets, inaccurate performance metrics, and diminished return on investment (ROI) for businesses. According to a study by the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), ad fraud is estimated to cost advertisers $6.5 billion globally each year.
• Common Ad Fraud Tactics: Ad fraudsters employ various tactics to deceive advertisers, such as bot traffic, ad stacking, and domain spoofing. By understanding these tactics, businesses can take proactive measures to prevent ad fraud and protect their advertising campaigns.
• Strategies to Avoid Ad Fraud: To mitigate the risk of ad fraud, advertisers can implement measures such as using ad verification tools, monitoring traffic quality, and working with reputable publishers and ad networks. By staying vigilant and proactive, businesses can safeguard their ad spend and maximize the effectiveness of their marketing campaigns while increasing website revenue.

By being informed about the pervasiveness of ad fraud and taking proactive steps to combat it, businesses can protect their investments in digital advertising and achieve better outcomes for their marketing efforts. Stay tuned for the following sections where we delve deeper into specific techniques and best practices for avoiding ad fraud and optimizing your advertising strategies.

When it comes to digital advertising, the impact of ad fraud on businesses cannot be overlooked. Ad fraud refers to the practice of generating false clicks, impressions, or conversions to deceive advertisers and generate revenue fraudulently. As businesses invest heavily in online advertising to reach their target audience and drive sales, it is crucial to understand the implications of ad fraud and take preventive measures to protect your ad spend. In this section, we'll delve into the impact of ad fraud on businesses and why avoiding ad fraud should be a top priority.

Impact of Ad Fraud on Businesses:

Ad fraud can have significant detrimental effects on businesses of all sizes and industries. Here are some key ways in which ad fraud can impact your business:

1. Financial Loss: Ad fraud can result in wasted advertising budgets and decreased ROI for businesses. According to a study by the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), ad fraud is estimated to cost businesses billions of dollars annually (source).
2. Reputation Damage: Being associated with ad fraud can tarnish a business's reputation and erode consumer trust. Consumers may view businesses that unknowingly support fraudulent activities in a negative light, potentially leading to a loss of credibility and customer loyalty.
3. Data Security Risks: Ad fraud schemes may involve the collection and misuse of user data, posing risks to consumer privacy and data security. Businesses that fall victim to ad fraud may inadvertently expose sensitive customer information, leading to regulatory fines and legal repercussions.
4. Diminished Performance Metrics: Ad fraud can distort key performance indicators (KPIs) and analytics metrics, making it challenging for businesses to accurately measure the effectiveness of their advertising campaigns. Inaccurate data resulting from ad fraud can mislead businesses and hinder strategic decision-making.

As businesses strive to optimize their digital advertising efforts and maximize ROI, avoiding ad fraud should be a top priority. By implementing robust ad fraud detection tools, conducting regular audits of advertising traffic, and collaborating with reputable ad networks and publishers, businesses can mitigate the risks associated with ad fraud and safeguard their advertising investments.

Types of Ad Fraud

When it comes to digital advertising, understanding the various types of ad fraud is crucial in order to protect your ad budget and campaign performance. Ad fraud refers to any fraudulent activity that disrupts the advertising ecosystem, costing businesses millions of dollars each year. As part of the overarching theme of 'Avoiding Ad Fraud', it's essential to be aware of the different forms it can take:

• Bot Traffic: One of the most common types of ad fraud, bot traffic occurs when automated programs (bots) visit web pages and generate ad impressions without any human engagement. This inflates metrics such as click-through rates and can lead to wasted ad spend. According to a recent study by Cheq, bot fraud accounts for over 21% of all digital ad spend.
• Ad Stacking: Ad stacking involves layering multiple ads on top of each other within a single ad placement. While only the top ad is visible to users, all ads in the stack register as impressions, leading to inflated performance metrics and misleading advertisers about the true reach of their campaigns.
• Click Fraud: Click fraud occurs when individuals or automated scripts click on ads with no intention of engaging with the content. This can artificially drive up click-through rates and deplete ad budgets without generating any real leads or conversions.
• Domain Spoofing: In domain spoofing, fraudsters misrepresent the websites where ads are being displayed, making it appear as though ads are running on premium sites when they are actually being shown on low-quality or even fraudulent domains. This can result in ads being seen by unintended audiences and diminish the effectiveness of ad campaigns.
• Ad Injection: Ad injection is a form of ad fraud where unauthorized ads are inserted into a user's browsing experience without the knowledge or consent of website owners or advertisers. This practice undermines the legitimacy of digital advertising and compromises the brand safety of advertisers.

By familiarizing yourself with these types of ad fraud and implementing proactive measures to monitor and mitigate their impact, you can safeguard your advertising investments and ensure that your campaigns reach genuine audiences. Stay vigilant and stay informed in your ongoing efforts to combat ad fraud in the digital advertising ecosystem.

• Click fraud is a common type of ad fraud that businesses need to be aware of when running online advertising campaigns.
• Click fraud occurs when individuals or automated bots click on ads with the intention of depleting the advertiser's budget without generating any genuine interest or leads.
• This fraudulent activity can lead to inflated click-through rates and wasted ad spend for businesses.
• According to a study by the Association of National Advertisers, click fraud costs advertisers an estimated $7.2 billion annually.
• To avoid falling victim to click fraud and protect your ad budget, consider implementing click fraud detection software that can help identify and block suspicious clicks.
• Regularly monitor your ad campaign performance and analyze key metrics such as click-through rates, conversion rates, and engagement levels to detect any anomalies that may indicate click fraud.
• By staying vigilant and proactive in monitoring your ad campaigns, you can mitigate the risks of click fraud and maximize the effectiveness of your advertising efforts.

When it comes to ad fraud, one of the common types that advertisers need to be aware of is Impression Fraud. This form of ad fraud occurs when impressions - the number of times an ad is displayed on a webpage - are falsified or inflated, leading to advertisers paying for ad placements that are not actually being seen by real users.

Impression fraud can have significant consequences for advertisers, including wasted ad spend, decreased ROI, and a negative impact on campaign performance. To avoid falling victim to impression fraud and protect your advertising budget, it's essential to understand the different tactics used by fraudsters. Some common methods of impression fraud include:

• Fraudulent traffic bots: These are automated programs that simulate human behavior to generate fake impressions on ads. This can artificially inflate impression numbers and deceive advertisers into thinking their ads are reaching a larger audience than they actually are.
• Pixel stuffing: In this technique, fraudsters hide multiple ads within a single ad placement on a webpage, making it appear as though multiple impressions are being served when only one is actually visible to the user.
• Stacking: Stacking involves placing multiple ad layers on top of each other within a single ad placement, again giving the illusion of multiple impressions when only one is legitimately viewable.

By being aware of these tactics and regularly monitoring your ad campaigns for signs of impression fraud, you can take proactive steps to mitigate the risk of falling victim to fraudulent activity. Implementing ad verification tools and working with reputable ad networks can also help in detecting and preventing impression fraud.

As part of your overall ad fraud prevention strategy, staying informed about the different types of ad fraud, including impression fraud, is crucial. By educating yourself and taking proactive measures to combat fraudulent activity, you can safeguard your ad campaigns and ensure optimal performance and effectiveness while avoiding ad fraud.

Types of Ad Fraud - C. Conversion Fraud

When it comes to avoiding ad fraud, understanding the various types of fraudulent activities that can occur is essential. One common type of ad fraud is Conversion Fraud, which involves falsifying conversion actions to generate illegitimate profits. This deceptive practice can significantly impact a company's advertising budget and overall campaign performance.

Here are some key points to consider about Conversion Fraud:

• Definition: Conversion Fraud occurs when fraudsters manipulate conversion data, such as clicks, leads, or sales, to make it appear as though the advertising campaign is more successful than it actually is.
• Impact: Conversion Fraud can lead to inflated conversion rates and misleading performance metrics, ultimately resulting in wasted ad spend and decreased ROI for advertisers.
• Detection: Detecting Conversion Fraud can be challenging, as fraudsters often use sophisticated techniques to disguise their illegitimate activities. Advertisers can leverage ad fraud detection tools and analytics platforms to monitor and analyze campaign data for any irregularities.
• Prevention: To mitigate the risk of Conversion Fraud, advertisers should implement strict monitoring protocols, conduct regular audits of campaign performance, and work with trusted ad networks and partners that prioritize transparency and accountability.

By being aware of the different types of ad fraud, such as Conversion Fraud, advertisers can take proactive measures to safeguard their advertising investments and ensure the effectiveness of their campaigns. It's crucial to stay vigilant and informed in the ever-evolving landscape of digital advertising to minimize the impact of ad fraud on your marketing efforts.

For more information on avoiding ad fraud and protecting your advertising campaigns, check out industry resources such as the Interactive Advertising Bureau's Best Practices for Combating Ad Fraud.

• One common warning sign of ad fraud is a sudden and unexplained increase in website traffic or ad clicks. If you notice a significant spike in these metrics without a corresponding increase in conversions or sales, it could be a red flag for potential fraud. To learn more about how to detect and prevent ad fraud, check out this resource.
• Another warning sign to watch out for is an unusually high click-through rate (CTR) on your ads. While a high CTR can be a positive indicator of engagement, it can also be a sign of click fraud if the clicks are coming from bots or other non-human sources. To learn more about avoiding ad fraud and protecting your ad campaigns, visit this site.
• Additionally, discrepancies between reported and actual campaign performance metrics can indicate potential ad fraud. If your analytics data does not align with the results provided by your ad platform, it may be worth investigating further to ensure the integrity of your advertising efforts. To read more about the importance of monitoring ad campaigns and avoiding fraud, click here.

When it comes to digital advertising, one of the key challenges that businesses face is ad fraud. This deceptive practice can not only drain your advertising budget but also harm your brand reputation. Therefore, it's essential to be aware of the common warning signs of ad fraud to protect your ROI and ensure the effectiveness of your campaigns.

One of the telltale signs of ad fraud is a sudden drop in ROI. If you notice a significant decrease in the return on investment from your advertising efforts, it could be a red flag indicating fraudulent activities. Ad fraudsters may artificially inflate click and impression numbers to make it seem like your campaigns are performing well, but in reality, they are not driving genuine engagement or conversions.

To avoid falling victim to ad fraud and protect your advertising investment, here are some key steps to take:

• Regularly monitor your advertising metrics and performance data to spot any anomalies or irregularities.
• Utilize ad verification tools and services to detect and prevent ad fraud in real-time.
• Work with reputable ad networks and publishers that have strong fraud detection measures in place.

By staying vigilant and proactive in detecting and addressing ad fraud, you can safeguard your advertising efforts and maximize your ROI. Remember, avoiding ad fraud is essential for maintaining the integrity and effectiveness of your digital marketing campaigns.

For more information on preventing ad fraud and maximizing your advertising ROI, check out resources such as the Interactive Advertising Bureau's guidelines on ad fraud protection and the MediaPost article on ways to prevent ad fraud.

When it comes to avoiding ad fraud, one of the key areas to watch out for is abnormal click patterns. These irregularities can serve as common warning signs, indicating potential fraudulent activity within your advertising campaigns.

• One of the telltale signs of ad fraud is a sudden spike in clicks from a specific location or IP address. Such abnormal click patterns may indicate click fraud, where artificial clicks are generated to drive up costs for advertisers and skew performance metrics.
• Additionally, a high volume of clicks with no corresponding increase in conversions or engagements can also raise red flags. This discrepancy suggests that the clicks may not be coming from genuine users, leading to wasted ad spend and decreased ROI.
• Another warning sign to look out for is click clustering, where a large number of clicks occur within a short period of time. This could indicate automated bot activity, designed to fraudulently inflate click counts and deceive advertisers.

By staying vigilant and monitoring your ad campaigns for these abnormal click patterns, you can proactively identify and combat ad fraud, ultimately safeguarding your advertising budget and maximizing the effectiveness of your campaigns.

For more information on detecting and preventing ad fraud, check out resources such as the Interactive Advertising Bureau's Buyer-Seller Principles and the Adloox blog on detecting ad fraud.

When it comes to online advertising, ad fraud is a pervasive issue that can impact the effectiveness of your campaigns and waste your marketing budget. One common warning sign of ad fraud is suspicious traffic sources. By being aware of these warning signs, you can take steps to avoid ad fraud and protect your advertising investments.

Common Warning Signs of Ad Fraud - Suspicious Traffic Sources:

• Click Fraud: Click fraud occurs when a person or automated bot repeatedly clicks on an ad with no intention of engaging with the content. This can artificially inflate click-through rates and waste your advertising budget. To combat click fraud, consider utilizing tools and strategies that monitor and prevent invalid clicks.
• High CTR with Low Conversion Rates: If you notice a high click-through rate (CTR) on your ads but low conversion rates, it could be a sign of ad fraud. This discrepancy suggests that the traffic coming to your site may not be genuine, leading to wasted ad spend. Regularly monitor your campaign performance and optimize your targeting to improve conversion rates.
• Unusual Traffic Patterns: Keep an eye out for unusual traffic patterns, such as spikes in traffic at odd hours or from geographically irrelevant locations. These anomalies could indicate bot traffic or click farms generating fake clicks on your ads. Utilize analytics tools to track and analyze your website traffic to identify patterns that may indicate ad fraud.
• Low-Quality Website Referrals: Another red flag for ad fraud is receiving traffic from low-quality websites or sources known for fraud. Referral traffic from questionable sites can negatively impact your campaign performance and diminish the quality of your ad placements. Monitor your website referrals and consider blocking traffic from suspicious sources.

By staying vigilant and monitoring your ad campaigns for these common warning signs of ad fraud, you can take proactive measures to safeguard your advertising efforts and maximize your ROI. Remember, avoiding ad fraud is essential for maintaining the integrity of your online advertising strategies and protecting your marketing budget.

For more information on avoiding ad fraud and protecting your digital marketing investments, check out industry reports and resources from trusted sources like Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and ANA Media Transparency Initiative.

When it comes to digital advertising, one of the biggest challenges that businesses face is ad fraud. Ad fraud refers to any fraudulent activity that generates invalid clicks, impressions, or conversions, leading to wasted ad spend and decreased ROI. In order to protect your advertising budget and ensure the effectiveness of your campaigns, it is essential to implement tools and strategies to combat ad fraud.

Tools and Strategies to Combat Ad Fraud

1. **Fraud Detection Tools**

• Invest in advanced fraud detection tools such as DoubleVerify or White Ops to monitor and identify fraudulent activity in real-time.
• Utilize ad verification services to ensure that your ads are being displayed in brand-safe environments and reaching your target audience.

2. **Fraud Prevention Techniques**

• Implement strict ad fraud prevention techniques such as Pixalate to block suspicious traffic and fraudulent sources.
• Regularly audit your ad campaigns and monitor performance metrics to detect any anomalies that may indicate fraudulent activity.

3. **Transparency and Accountability**

• Work with reputable ad networks and publishers that prioritize transparency and provide detailed reporting on ad performance.
• Establish clear KPIs and benchmarks to measure the effectiveness of your ad campaigns and track any fluctuations that could be attributed to ad fraud.

By implementing a combination of fraud detection tools, prevention techniques, and a focus on transparency, businesses can effectively combat ad fraud and protect their advertising investments. Avoiding ad fraud is crucial for maximizing the impact of your digital advertising efforts and ensuring a positive return on investment.

Ad fraud is a significant challenge that can impact the effectiveness and success of online advertising campaigns. By using tools and implementing strategies to combat ad fraud, businesses can protect their advertising investments and maximize their return on investment. One key aspect of combating ad fraud is the use of Ad Fraud Detection Software that can help identify and prevent fraudulent activities. Let's explore some essential tools and strategies in more detail:

1. Ad Fraud Detection Software

Ad fraud detection software is specifically designed to monitor ad traffic and detect any suspicious or fraudulent activity in real time. It uses advanced algorithms and machine learning capabilities to analyze data and identify patterns that indicate fraudulent behavior. Some popular ad fraud detection software providers include:

• White Ops
• Pixalate
• DoubleVerify

2. Fraudulent Traffic Blocking

Another effective strategy to combat ad fraud is to block fraudulent traffic sources from your advertising campaigns. By using tools that can identify and blacklist suspicious websites, bots, or IPs, businesses can prevent their ads from being displayed to non-human traffic. This can help improve campaign performance and ensure that advertising budgets are used efficiently.

3. Continuous Monitoring and Analysis

Regularly monitoring and analyzing ad campaign performance is essential to detect any anomalies or irregularities that may indicate ad fraud. By establishing clear KPIs and metrics, businesses can track the effectiveness of their campaigns and identify any fluctuations in traffic or engagement levels. This proactive approach can help identify and address potential ad fraud issues promptly.

By implementing these tools and strategies, businesses can enhance their ad campaign security and minimize the risk of falling victim to ad fraud. By taking a proactive and vigilant approach to combating ad fraud, businesses can protect their advertising investments and achieve better results. To learn more about avoiding ad fraud, check out our detailed article on the topic.

Implementing click fraud filters is a crucial aspect of combating ad fraud and protecting your online advertising investments. Click fraud, a form of ad fraud, can significantly impact your marketing campaigns and waste your budget on invalid clicks. By utilizing effective tools and strategies to filter out fraudulent clicks, you can optimize your ad performance and maximize your return on investment.

Here are some key tools and strategies to consider when implementing click fraud filters to avoid ad fraud:

1. Click Fraud Detection Software: Invest in reputable click fraud detection software that can automatically identify and block suspicious or fraudulent clicks on your ads. These tools use advanced algorithms and data analysis to detect patterns of fraudulent activity and prevent it in real-time.
2. IP Address Blocking: Block specific IP addresses or ranges that are associated with click fraud. By blacklisting suspicious IPs, you can reduce the risk of fraudulent clicks and ensure that your ad campaigns are targeting legitimate users.
3. Behavioral Analysis: Implement behavioral analysis tools that analyze user interactions with your ads to detect abnormal click patterns. By monitoring user behavior and engagement, you can identify potential click fraud and take proactive measures to mitigate it.
4. Ad Verification Services: Utilize ad verification services that offer real-time monitoring and verification of ad traffic to identify and block fraudulent clicks. These services can provide detailed reports and insights into the quality of your ad traffic and help you avoid ad fraud.

When implementing click fraud filters, it's important to strike a balance between effectively filtering out fraudulent clicks and ensuring that legitimate clicks are not mistakenly blocked. Constant monitoring and fine-tuning of your click fraud filters are essential to maintaining a healthy ad campaign performance.

By incorporating these tools and strategies into your digital marketing efforts, you can proactively combat ad fraud and protect your advertising investments. Avoiding ad fraud is a continuous process that requires vigilance and a proactive approach to safeguarding your online advertising campaigns.

When it comes to combatting ad fraud, incorporating effective tools and strategies is crucial to ensuring the success and integrity of your digital advertising campaigns. Here, we will delve into the significance of regularly monitoring ad campaigns as a key method to avoid ad fraud.

Tools and Strategies to Combat Ad Fraud - Regularly Monitoring Ad Campaigns

Ad fraud continues to be a prevalent issue in the online advertising industry, costing advertisers billions of dollars annually. To safeguard your ad spend and optimize campaign performance, implementing proactive measures to detect and prevent ad fraud is essential.

Why Regular Monitoring is Essential:

• Regular monitoring of ad campaigns allows advertisers to identify irregular patterns or anomalous activities that may indicate ad fraud in real-time.
• By analyzing key performance metrics such as click-through rates, conversion rates, and engagement levels on a continuous basis, advertisers can quickly pinpoint any discrepancies or suspicious behavior.
• Early detection of ad fraud through regular monitoring enables advertisers to take immediate action to mitigate potential losses and maintain the effectiveness of their campaigns.

Tools for Monitoring Ad Campaigns:

• Google Analytics: Google Analytics is a powerful analytics tool that provides in-depth insights into website traffic, user behavior, and campaign performance. By tracking relevant metrics and setting up custom alerts, advertisers can effectively monitor their ad campaigns for any signs of ad fraud.
• Pixalate: Pixalate is a leading ad fraud detection and prevention platform that offers advanced analytics and real-time monitoring capabilities to identify and block fraudulent ad activity across various channels.
• DoubleVerify: DoubleVerify is a comprehensive digital media measurement and analytics platform that helps advertisers authenticate the quality and effectiveness of their digital ad campaigns while detecting and mitigating ad fraud risks.

By utilizing these tools in conjunction with regular monitoring practices, advertisers can enhance their ad fraud prevention efforts and optimize the performance and ROI of their campaigns.

Ad fraud remains a persistent challenge in the digital advertising ecosystem, but by staying vigilant and employing effective monitoring tools and strategies, advertisers can proactively safeguard their investments and achieve greater success in their advertising endeavors.

When it comes to Avoiding Ad Fraud, it is crucial to be vigilant and proactive in your efforts to protect your digital advertising investments. Here are some key strategies to consider:

1. Implement Ad Fraud Detection Tools: One of the most effective ways to combat ad fraud is by utilizing ad fraud detection tools such as Pixalate or White Ops. These tools use advanced algorithms and machine learning to identify suspicious activity and prevent fraudulent ads from being displayed on your website.
2. Monitor Traffic Quality: Regularly monitor the quality of traffic coming to your website by analyzing metrics such as bounce rates, time on site, and conversion rates. Sudden spikes in traffic from sources with low engagement rates could be a red flag for ad fraud.
3. Verify Ad Placement: Work closely with your ad network or platform to ensure that your ads are being displayed on reputable and legitimate websites. Avoid placing ads on websites with low credibility or high instances of fraudulent activity.
4. Stay Informed: Keep yourself updated on the latest trends and tactics used by fraudsters to commit ad fraud. Subscribe to industry newsletters, attend webinars, and participate in forums to stay informed and educated on this constantly evolving threat.

By following these strategies and remaining vigilant, you can minimize the risk of falling victim to ad fraud and protect your digital advertising investments. Remember, investing in ad fraud prevention is a proactive measure that can save you money and safeguard your online reputation in the long run.