Once your ad account is connected to Ads Defender, the next crucial step is to configure tracking and protection features. This guide will walk you through the necessary steps to ensure Ads Defender can effectively detect and block fraudulent activity across your campaigns.
Step 1: Familiarize Yourself with Ads Defender
Before diving into the technical setup, it’s highly recommended to visit the Help Center and explore the Understanding Ads Defender section.
This section contains in-depth articles covering Ads Defender’s features, functionalities, and the reasons behind various protection mechanisms.
A solid understanding of Ads Defender’s tools will help you maximize the platform’s potential and avoid common pitfalls during the setup process.
Step 2: Begin configuring your first account
If you manage multiple ad accounts, start by configuring one account first.
Fully set up tracking and protection for this initial account before connecting and configuring additional accounts.
Why this matters:
Many features (such as tracking tags and audience exclusions) can carry over to other accounts pointing to the same domain.
Once configured, additional accounts connected to the same site will automatically inherit active tracking snippets – eliminating the need to redo the process.
1. Embed the Necessary Tracking Tags
Navigate to Click Fraud Settings and ensure the following tags are embedded on your site:
Main Tag (Global Tag):
Embed the Main Tag on all pages of your website.
Placement: The Main Tag should be placed immediately after the opening
<body>tag to ensure it loads quickly.This ensures that tracking occurs even if the user leaves the page early.
Should fire without user consent to track all traffic.
Session Tag:
Works alongside the Main Tag and should also fire on all pages.
Captures session-specific data and provides deeper insights into device and user behavior.
Like the Main Tag, it should fire without consent.
Whitelisting Event:
Embedded on conversion or key action pages (e.g., thank-you pages, cart confirmation pages).
Helps identify valuable users and prevent their IPs from being blocked.
Does not require user consent.
Audience Event (For Audience Building):
Should be embedded behind consent on all pages.
This event adds unqualified users to exclusion lists for Google, Microsoft, and Meta Ads platforms.
Ensures ads are not shown to users identified as invalid or fraudulent.
Needs to be activated per account before it can be copied
Optional: Implement Tags via Google Tag Manager
If you're using Google Tag Manager (GTM) to manage website tags, you can deploy Ads Defender’s tracking tags directly through GTM.
Important considerations:
Load Timing:
Ideally GTM itself is loaded without delay and before consent
Ads Defender tags – especially the Main and Session Tags – must fire as early as possible to detect unwanted traffic.Consent Settings:
Only the Audience Event should be delayed behind a consent trigger (as it’s used for audience exclusions).
Main Tag, Session Tag, and Whitelisting Event should load regardless of consent.
Setup Instructions:
Create a new Custom HTML Tag for each Ads Defender script (Main Tag, Session Tag, etc.).
Paste the respective tag code into the Custom HTML field.
Use the "All Pages" trigger for the Main and Session Tag.
For the Whitelisting Event, use a trigger on conversion or confirmation pages.
For the Audience Event, configure it with a consent-based trigger, aligned with your CMP.
By using GTM, you can quickly roll out changes or updates to your Ads Defender implementation across multiple pages without touching the source code – as long as tag firing is early and consistent.
2. Enable Offsite Tracking Methods
In addition to onsite tags, Ads Defender utilizes offsite tracking to protect ad spend directly on ad platforms.
Google Ads Tracking Template:
Apply the tracking template at the account level under Google Ads settings.
Important:
Check for existing tracking templates.
Avoid overwriting existing templates on campaign or ad group levels.
If necessary, contact Ads Defender support for assistance in merging tracking templates.
3. Verify Tag Implementation
Once tags are embedded and offsite tracking is enabled:
Visit your website and monitor tag firing using developer tools (or a Tag Manager).
Ensure the following:
Main Tag and Session Tag fire on all pages.
Audience Event fires only after consent is given.
Whitelisting Event triggers on conversion pages.
4. Live View – Real-Time Tracking Validation
Navigate to Click Fraud > Live View within Ads Defender.
This section shows real-time data of clicks interacting with your ads and website.
Look for:
Unqualified clicks appearing in the live view.
This indicates that Ads Defender is actively detecting and categorizing invalid clicks.
Live View provides immediate confirmation that tracking is working, even before data appears in the main dashboard.
5. Understanding Dashboard Refresh Cycles
Dashboard Data Refresh:
The Ads Defender dashboard refreshes every 24 hours.
This means that even after full setup, the dashboard may appear empty for the first 24 hours.
Real-Time Alternative:
Use the Live View to verify that tracking is active and catching unqualified clicks in real time.
The dashboard will populate automatically during the next refresh cycle.
6. Schedule a Check-Up Call
Once tracking is configured and initial data flows in, schedule a Check-Up Call with Ads Defender’s support team.
Purpose of the Check-Up Call:
A dedicated Ads Defender expert will:
Review your tracking setup to ensure all steps are correctly implemented.
Conduct a load time analysis to confirm tags fire quickly and efficiently.
Provide feedback on any potential adjustments to enhance accuracy and protection.
Go-Live Approval:
After the check-up, Ads Defender will confirm if your account setup is complete and ready for full protection.
Summary of Steps:
Read Understanding Ads Defender in the Help Center.
Connect one account and fully configure tracking.
Embed Main Tag, Session Tag, Whitelisting Event, and Audience Event.
Enable tracking templates for Google Ads.
Verify tags using site testing and Live View.
Schedule a Check-Up Call for final validation.
By following these steps, you ensure that Ads Defender operates at peak efficiency, safeguarding your campaigns from click fraud while maximizing ad spend ROI.