How To Assess if your Online Ad is ‘working’

Robots vs Humans: The Evolution of Online Advertising

Ever Heard of the Dead Internet Theory?

The “Dead Internet Theory” suggests that much of the content we see on the internet (including social media platforms) is actually created by artificial intelligence interacting with other AI. While it’s an exaggerated claim to say that all content is AI-generated, the idea that a significant portion of it could be is both intriguing and unsettling.

In fact, it’s estimated that 57% of web-based text content is AI-generated or translated as of now. Though experts initially predicted that 90% of online content would be AI-generated by 2025, it’s clear we’re moving toward a future where much of what we encounter online is the product of artificial intelligence. If you’re wondering whether you’ve been debating recipes with a robot on Facebook, well, it’s not that far-fetched!

Scrolling through your feeds can feel like a wild west of strange content—sometimes you might even stumble upon unexpected gems, like “Shrimp Jesus” making an appearance on your timeline.

But what does all this have to do with your online ad?

Clicks and Views: How Reliable Are They?

A common question we get is, “How is my ad performing?” Many people rely on total clicks or views as an indicator of success. But today, these metrics are increasingly unreliable. With over 70,000 AI companies scanning the web, bots are constantly harvesting data and triggering views—often in ways that skew results.

Bots such as Amazonbot, Bingbot, Googlebot, and Yahoo Slurp crawl the internet every day to index websites for search engines. These bots often follow the robots.txt protocol, a set of rules used by websites to control which pages they can crawl. But even when blocked, bots can bypass these restrictions by coming from third-party sites or simply ignoring the rules altogether, leading to what we call “botted views.”

Here are some examples of a robots.txt file used by Cloudflare and Stack Overflow – https://www.cloudflare.com/robots.txt (allows some crawling by specific instructions) and https://stackoverflow.com/robots.txt (allows no crawling for entire website).

But What About Human Views?

Even human interactions with your ad can be misleading. Consider these factors:

1. Duplicate clicks: Someone might see your ad, show initial interest, and then return later to check it again. This can inflate your view count.
2. Foreign applicants: If your ad is reaching people from outside your location (especially if you’re hiring in a country like Australia or New Zealand), it might attract applicants with foreign qualifications that require a lengthy recognition process. This results in a drawn-out recruitment cycle, which may not be ideal for your clinic.

So, how can you tell if your ad is truly reaching the right audience with just views?

Why Aren’t I Getting Applications?

Sometimes, even if your ad is getting human views, it might not be attracting quality applications. Here are a few reasons why:

• Cumbersome application processes: If you’re using a careers portal with multiple steps (e.g., creating an account, uploading documents, filling in surveys), applicants may abandon the process in favour of an easier alternative. Make sure your application process is as straightforward as possible.
• Unfriendly presentation: If your ad looks like a wall of text, potential applicants might be turned off. Instead, break down key details into short, bold bullet points to make it more skimmable and engaging. Highlight the most important points using bold or italics.

How Can I Tell If My Ad Is Actually Working?

If view counts and clicks are unreliable, the best way to assess your ad’s effectiveness is through human interaction. Are you receiving inquiries about the position via email, phone, or in-person? Applicants might not always send their resume immediately but could still be showing interest by reaching out for more information.

Author:

John Maude
Kookaburra Veterinary Employment

This information includes the views and opinions of Kookaburra Veterinary Employment and is of a general nature only. Factual information is believed to be correct at the time of writing, however, should not be relied upon and any person should confirm details with the relevant authorities and through their own research prior to acting on any of the suggestions in this article.

Learn More About Robots and Crawlers

Curious about web crawlers and the robots.txt protocol? Google offers some great resources on this topic. Check them out here: Google’s Robots.txt guide.

Want to Create Content Like a Bot and Usher in the Downfall of the Internet?

Interested in exploring AI-generated content? You can try out some popular tools:

• SocialBee: Text generator with a free trial – SocialBee
• Radaar: Text & Image generator with a 14-day free trial – Radaar
• Adobe Firefly: Image generator (login required) – Adobe Firefly
• Midjourney: Image generator (subscription-based) – Midjourney