You can optimize creatives all day and A/B test landing pages for weeks — but if anti-fraud is set up only before the click or only after the click, you’re still losing money. More importantly, you’re not seeing the real picture of your traffic quality.
At Kaminari Click, we work with ad networks, affiliates, and direct advertisers every day, and one lesson is clear: pre-click and post-click anti-fraud must work together.
Pre-click: Filtering Before the Click
What it is: Pre-click anti-fraud runs before the user clicks. It’s a filter at the RTB auction or ad platform level. The goal: block “dead” traffic before you pay for it.
How it works?
- IP & geo filters: block proxies, VPNs, data centers.
- Fingerprint/device checks: detect unstable devices, headless browsers.
- Auction patterns: catch abnormal user agents or too-frequent bid requests.
Pros:
- Saves budget upfront.
- Keeps dashboards clean: CTR, CPM, and conversion stats aren’t skewed.
- Reduces load on tracking systems.
Cons:
- Only sees the “front door” — no insight into landing behavior.
- Over-aggressive filtering risks cutting real users.
Post-click: Analyzing After the Click
Post-click anti-fraud starts after the click happens. The visitor lands on the page, and deeper checks begin.
What it analyzes?
- Page Visibility: was the ad in focus or hidden?
- Hidden Page / WebView: was the landing buried in an iframe or app view?
- Session time: did the visitor stay at least 15 seconds?
- User Journey: scrolls, clicks, form activity.
- Fingerprinting: repeated devices posing as new users.
Pros:
- Sharp view of real vs simulated users.
- Segmentation by behavior patterns.
- Hard evidence to show partners — numbers, not suspicions.
Cons:
- You’ve already paid for the click.
- Data arrives with a delay, not instantly.
Why One Isn’t Enough
- Pre-click = hygiene: saves money early, blocks obvious junk.
- Post-click = diagnosis: uncovers fraud that slips through, proves quality with data.
Without pre-click, you pay for millions of fake clicks just to later flag them.
Without post-click, you don’t see the tricks that bypass auction filters.
It’s not either-or. Only the combination works.
Real-World Examples
- Popunder networks: Combining both reduced IVT by 38% for a client — without cutting volume.
- Affiliate networks: Pre-click protects budgets, post-click optimizes deeper by source and offer.
- Brand advertisers: Post-click cuts fake installs and dead signups, but without pre-click the funnel drowns in junk.
Best Practices for Advertisers & Networks
- Don’t choose — run both.
- Keep pre-click rules dynamic (lists, allowlists, test buckets).
- Go beyond “bot / not bot”: add metrics like Page Visibility & Hidden Page.
- Share pre + post-click data with partners to build trust.
- Use both layers to optimize spend and ROI.
Our Takeaway
At Kaminari, we see pre-click as the shield — blocking first-level fraud.
And post-click as the X-ray — exposing what’s really inside.
If one of these layers is missing, you’re either overspending or operating blind.
Ready to See It in Action?
We’ve helped ad networks, affiliates, and brands cut fraud by 30–40% while keeping volumes intact.
Book a demo with Kaminari Click — and let’s show you exactly how pre-click and post-click work together on your traffic.
