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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

We’re all getting excited about our Office Christmas party – but here’s a quick reminder about the tax implications from the ATO Grinch!

If your business holds a Christmas party:

• on a working day, on your business premises, and only for your current employees, you don’t pay fringe benefits tax (FBT) for the food and drink
• off your business premises, or the party includes associates of employees (such as their partners), you don’t pay FBT if the party is a minor benefit – that is, the cost for each person is less than $300 and it would be considered unreasonable to treat it as a fringe benefit
• that includes clients, you don’t pay FBT for the costs relating to the clients.

If you give your employees a Christmas gift, you don’t pay FBT if the value of the gift is less than $300 per person and it would be considered unreasonable to treat it as a fringe benefit.

If the Christmas party is not subject to FBT, you can’t claim income tax deductions (or GST) for the cost of the party.

https://www.ato.gov.au/businesses-and-organisations/hiring-and-paying-your-workers/fringe-benefits-tax/types-of-fringe-benefits/entertainment-related-fringe-benefits/how-to-work-out-fbt-on-entertainment

Quick Guide to FBT (Fringe Benefits Tax)

Fringe Benefits

A fringe benefit is a payment made to an employee but in a different form to salary or wages. Benefits made to volunteers or contractors are NOT fringe benefits. A fringe benefit is provided “in respect of employment”. It can also be a benefit given to an associate of the employee. So, for example if an employer pays the gym fees of an employee’s spouse, this is considered a fringe benefit provided to an associate of the employee.

Examples of fringe benefits include:

• allowing an employee to use a work car for private purposes
• car parking
• paying an employee’s gym membership
• providing entertainment by way of free tickets to concerts
• reimbursing an expense incurred by an employee, such as school fees
• giving an employee a discounted loan

Some work-related items (mainly used for work purposes) are exempt benefits. The exact exemption rules vary for small businesses:

• Portable electronic devices
• Software, protective clothing, tools of trade

‘Minor benefits’ are also exempt

• When it’s both less than $300
• And ‘unreasonable for it to be treated as a fringe benefit’

Fringe Benefits Tax – FBT

FBT is the amount of tax that would have been paid by the employee if they had paid for the benefit out of their own wages, at the top marginal tax rate including the medicare levy (47%) – eg. To buy a gym membership costing $1,100 including GST, the wages required would be $2,075: – $975 tax and $1,100 membership.

Instead of paying the employee extra salary of $2,075, the employer pays the gym membership of $1,100, claims $100 GST credits, and pays the tax required directly to the ATO as FBT. The employer can claim an income tax deduction for both the cost of the gym membership, and the cost of the FBT.
The employee then does not pay income tax on the fringe benefit.

The FBT year is from 1st April to 31st March, and a FBT return must be lodged each year.

For more information visit https://smallbusiness.taxsuperandyou.gov.au/expense-payments-fringe-benefits-tax and https://www.ato.gov.au/businesses-and-organisations/hiring-and-paying-your-workers/fringe-benefits-tax

Author:
Wendy Nathan
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.