Invalid Visits From Partners
Paid channels and programmatic partners were sending invalid visits that consumed budget without generating real conversions. The mismatch between reported clicks and actual visits was alarming.
Case Study · E-Commerce
Unisa Doubled Their ROAS in Affiliation After Uncovering Invalid Clicks
Opticks revealed up to 63.4% invalid traffic from programmatic partners, 22.4% in Google Display — enabling Unisa to reallocate budget and double their return on ad spend in affiliation.
2x ROAS in affiliation
22.4% Google Display IVT
63.4% Max partner IVT
Trusted by 6,000+ businesses · €6M+ in recovered ad spend
The Client
Unisa: Leading European Footwear Brand
Unisa is an internationally renowned footwear manufacturer founded in the 1970s. Known for comfort and quality of materials, their products can be found in the best European multi-brand boutiques. The brand has successfully positioned itself as one of the leading European footwear companies.
As their marketing team moved advertising spending to online channels, they heavily increased their digital advertising budget and began leveraging new platforms — making it critical to ensure every euro was reaching real customers.
Founded in the 1970s — over five decades in the footwear industry
International presence across Europe’s best multi-brand boutiques
Growing digital strategy with heavy investment in online advertising channels
The Challenge
Low Results Despite Many Clicks
As Unisa invested massive budgets in paid traffic, their team needed to guarantee the highest advertising returns. But two core problems stood in the way: difficulty gaining insights on traffic validity from programmatic partners, and a lack of transparency from PPC platforms.
No Clear Explanations
Campaigns were underperforming without clear explanations. Big discrepancies between clicks reported by Google and Meta versus actual valid traffic remained hidden from the team.
Difficult Partner Communication
Without concrete data, communicating with partners about invalid traffic was difficult and time-consuming. There was no proof to back up their suspicions of fraudulent activity.
“The results of our partners did not correspond with the analysis we were making. There was clearly a problem somewhere, but not where we expected it.”
Aurora Esteve — Senior Paid Media Manager, Unisa
The Solution
How Opticks Helps Unisa Fight Ad Fraud
Opticks gave Unisa the granular visibility they needed to detect ad fraud by channel, estimate losses, and take decisive action — transforming suspicions into undeniable proof.
- 1
Traffic Validity Insights
Opticks confirmed Unisa’s doubts about fake clicks from Google and Meta. It demonstrated big discrepancies between clicks reported by platforms versus actual valid traffic — and uncovered invalid traffic from programmatic partners they thought were performing well, including the market leader in retargeting advertising.
- 2
Higher Advertising Returns
With Opticks, Unisa can now evaluate the actual performance of each campaign and channel, identifying where returns are lowest. This increased visibility helps the team make the best decisions for sustainable business growth.
- 3
Communication With Partners
Opticks data represents undeniable proof of invalid traffic that partners cannot deny. This simplifies communication, guarantees better results, and gives Unisa the leverage to demand accountability from every traffic source.
“I use the solution on a weekly basis. It is very intuitive and easy to use, even for someone like me who is not specialised in analytics.”
Aurora Esteve — Senior Paid Media Manager, Unisa
Want the same visibility for your campaigns?
Get Your Free Traffic AuditThe Results
Measurable Impact Across Every Channel
2x ROAS in affiliation Doubled after fraud detection
22.4% Google Display IVT Invalid clicks identified
63.4% Max partner IVT Worst programmatic partner
2.5% Global ad fraud rate With 74.8% concentrated in USA
Opticks uncovered 22.4% invalid clicks in Google Display, 9.3% invalid clicks in CPC, and up to 63.4% from some programmatic partners. The data enabled Unisa to avoid wasting thousands of euros each month.
Doubled ROAS in affiliation by eliminating spend on invalid traffic sources.
Avoided wasting thousands of euros each month on fraudulent clicks.
Reallocated budget based on traffic validity per channel and campaign.
Boosted key acquisition metrics sustainably by investing in verified traffic only.
What They Said
Trusted by Unisa’s Marketing Team
Without Opticks, we would still be wasting our budget on invalid traffic sources. We know Opticks has our back and can provide us support.
Biggest Impact
From Hidden Fraud to Full Control
With Opticks, Unisa transformed their advertising strategy from guesswork to data-driven precision. The ability to uncover the actual fake click rate gave the team the confidence to demand accountability and reallocate budgets where they truly matter.
Uncovered the actual fake click rate. Opticks revealed the true scale of invalid traffic that had been invisible to the team.
Reallocated budget to best channels and partners. Data-driven decisions replaced assumptions, focusing spend on verified traffic.
Saved on advertising budget. Avoided wasting thousands of euros each month by eliminating fraudulent traffic sources.
Simplified partner communication. Opticks data serves as undeniable proof of invalid traffic that partners cannot dispute.
Boosted key acquisition metrics sustainably. Clean traffic data improved conversion rates and ROAS across the board.
Beyond E-Commerce
These Patterns Exist in Every Paid Channel
Invalid traffic inflating CPAs, polluting optimisation algorithms, and draining budgets — these patterns are consistent across every industry running paid digital advertising. What will your traffic audit reveal?
E-Commerce Lead Generation SaaS Financial Services Travel & Hospitality Agencies
Audit Your Traffic for FreeFrequently Asked Questions
FAQs
How does invalid traffic affect e-commerce advertising?
Invalid traffic inflates CPCs, wastes budget on fake clicks, and distorts campaign performance data. For e-commerce brands like Unisa, this means paying for visits that will never result in a purchase. Unisa discovered 22.4% invalid clicks in Google Display and up to 63.4% from programmatic partners — budget that was reaching bots instead of real shoppers.
What fraud rates did Unisa discover with Opticks?
Unisa found 22.4% invalid clicks in Google Display, 9.3% in CPC, up to 63.4% from some programmatic partners, and 74.8% invalid traffic concentrated in the USA. Some countries showed up to 98% invalid traffic. The 2.5% global average masked extreme concentrations in specific markets.
Can Opticks detect fraud from programmatic partners?
Yes. Opticks revealed up to 63.4% invalid traffic from programmatic partners that Unisa thought were performing well — including the market leader in retargeting advertising. The platform provides granular data by partner, campaign, country, and channel.
How long does it take to set up Opticks?
Most clients are up and running in under 5 minutes. Opticks uses a lightweight JavaScript tag that works with Google Ads, Meta Ads, programmatic platforms, and affiliate networks. No developer integration is required.
How does Opticks help with partner communication?
Opticks provides undeniable proof of invalid traffic that partners cannot deny. Before Opticks, Unisa found it difficult and time-consuming to communicate with partners about fraud. Now, the data simplifies negotiations and gives them leverage to demand accountability from every traffic source.
Can Opticks improve ROAS for e-commerce?
Yes. By removing invalid traffic from your funnel, campaigns optimise towards real users, directly improving ROAS and reducing wasted spend. Unisa doubled their ROAS in affiliation channels after implementing Opticks and reallocating budget to verified traffic sources.
Get Started
Stop Paying for Clicks That Will Never Convert
Unisa uncovered up to 63.4% invalid traffic from programmatic partners and doubled their ROAS. See exactly how much of your ad spend is going to invalid traffic.
No commitment required · Results visible within days · Trusted by 6,000+ businesses