MFA websites are sucking the very lifeblood out of the media industry with the recent closed doors IAB UK session laying out the scale of the problem for all to see. Through jaundiced eyes, publishing analyst Bo Sacks outlines the problem.
At a recent IAB UK event, media and ad execs addressed the issue of made-for-advertising (MFA) sites, the practice of creating websites that exist primarily to host ads rather than offer valuable content. You know the type of website – layered with pop up ads, interstitials and with promises to show you what a 1980’s celebrity looks like now.
According to The Media Leader, one of the major challenges with making advertisers informed about MFA is that “there is not enough robust” methodology to define it. Even the defining characteristics of MFA — having a heavily skewed ads-to-content ratio — is “difficult” to measure. Even worse, MFA specifically does not include websites that have been found to have generated content from AI.
Yet the problem is staring us in the face: MFAs are sucking the very lifeblood out of the media industry. In a passionate op-ed, veteran publishing analyst and and board member of the Magazine Innovation Center, Bo Sacks, lays bare the problem. Over to you, Bo:
Of the many kinds of fraud out there, one pervasive issue is the particularly insidious practice of Made-for-Advertising (MFA) websites. While I acknowledge the vast majority of publishers play fair, we need to shine a light on this deceptive tactic that prioritizes profit over user experience and content quality, thus diminishing, in my opinion, the entire publishing landscape.
MFA: A Web of Clickbait and Low-Value Content
MFA websites are essentially empty vessels designed to be overflowing with advertisements. They lure unsuspecting users through sensational headlines, clickbait tactics, and provocative content, all engineered to maximize page views and, consequently, ad revenue for the site owner. This prioritizes short-term gain at the expense of everything else:
- Quality Content: MFA sites offer little to no value to the user. The content itself is often low-quality, irrelevant, or even non-existent, serving merely as a placeholder for the true star of the show – the advertisement.
- User Experience: MFA websites are notorious for creating a frustrating and intrusive user experience. Pop-up ads, auto-playing videos, and an overwhelming number of flashy banners bombard visitors, making it difficult to navigate and hindering any genuine engagement.
The Detrimental Impact of MFA Sites
The consequences of MFA websites extend far beyond a bad user experience.
- Wasted Advertising Dollars: Advertisers placing their content on MFA sites are essentially throwing money away. Their ads are displayed alongside low-quality content, diminishing brand reputation and failing to reach a genuinely interested audience.
- Environmental Impact: The constant ad refreshing and data processing required by MFA sites contribute significantly to their energy consumption. This adds up, becoming a silent environmental burden on the industry.
A Call to Action
This is a wake-up call for the digital advertising industry. MFA sites are a parasitic practice that undermines the entire ecosystem. Advertisers, publishers, and technology platforms must all work together to identify and eliminate these fraudulent websites, ensuring a healthy and sustainable advertising landscape that prioritizes value, user experience, and brand reputation. Will that happen? Ha! No, not a chance.
You can’t fake quality any more than you can fake a good meal.
William S. Burroughs
Bo Sacks
President, Precision Media Group
This commentary originally appeared on Bo Sacks daily newsletter and is re-published with kind permission. You can subscribe to Bo’s e-newsletter here.
