Google’s Invalid Traffic Deductions Explained
You check your ADX reports, and everything seems in order stable traffic, consistent clicks, no major red flags. But when your earnings are finalized, the payout is lower than expected. It’s frustrating, especially when there’s no clear explanation in your dashboard.
Many publishers in this situation are left asking: why is Google removing revenue after the month ends? And how do I know if invalid traffic is the real cause?
In this blog, we’ll break down the three points when Google deducts revenue due to invalid activity, how those deductions appear in your account, and what steps you can take to minimize the impact going forward.
Why Google Doesn’t Show You Exact Invalid Activity Data
To protect the integrity of its invalid traffic detection systems, Google doesn’t disclose exactly where invalid traffic came from, how much was deducted from which pages, or who caused it. This lack of transparency can be frustrating but it’s designed to prevent abuse of the system by bad actors.
Instead, what you get is a summary in your Transactions page and a few indirect signals in your reports.
3 Stages of ADX Invalid Activity Deductions
There are three different stages when Google can deduct earnings tied to invalid activity and not all of them are visible in real-time.
Let’s break them down:
1. Real-Time Filtering (Happens Instantly, But You Don’t See It)
If you check your ADX reports often, you might see strange jumps or dips in revenue during the day. That’s because Google automatically filters out obvious invalid activity in real time things like:
- Bot crawlers
- Accidental double clicks
- Click spamming or sabotage
These earnings never make it to your finalized reports, which is why you might see fluctuations that seem to disappear later.
2. Finalization Deductions (At the End of the Month)
The earnings you see during the month in ADX are only estimates not your final payout. At the end of each month, Google runs a final verification process to confirm how much of your revenue is actually valid. This includes:
- Catching any invalid clicks or impressions that slipped through earlier
- Adjusting for rounding errors or reporting delays
- Confirming the final amount that will be paid
If any part of your estimated earnings is flagged during this review, it’s removed and listed as “Invalid Activity” on your Transactions page. Advertisers are also refunded for those clicks which means that portion of revenue won’t be paid to you.
Google’s official help page confirms how these deductions work.3. Post-Payment Adjustments (Within 60 Days After You’ve Been Paid)
Source: Google’s official Help Center
Even after your payment is sent, Google may still detect fraudulent or invalid clicks.
If this happens, they’ll:
- Subtract the amount from your next payout
- Add a line item on your “Transactions” page under Invalid Activity
What You Can Do as a Publisher
Even though you can’t see exactly what triggered invalid activity deductions, there are steps you can take to minimize them:
Review Traffic Quality
Check your referral sources in Google Analytics or your monetization dashboard. Watch for:
- Sudden traffic spikes
- High bounce rates or 1-second sessions
- Geo-locations or devices you don’t normally attract
Block Suspicious Sources
Use tools or built-in blocking features in ADX, GAM, or your SSPs to limit:
- Bot traffic
- Proxy/VPN traffic
- Poor-quality arbitrage sources
Avoid Aggressive Ad Placements
Don’t encourage accidental clicks. Avoid:
- Sticky auto-ads near nav buttons
- Ads disguised as content
- Excessive popups
Report Suspicious Activity
If you believe your traffic is being sabotaged or attacked with fake clicks:
- Use Google’s Invalid Clicks Contact Form (for ADX)
- Or report through AdMob if you’re an app publisher
Tools to Help You Stay Ahead
While Google won’t share exactly which clicks were invalid, you can still reduce risk using other available trusted tools like Pixalate or Fraudlogix, which help identify patterns of non-human or fraudulent traffic.
MagicBid also offers it’s own tool called MagicShield, a built-in fraud protection layer that filters out invalid traffic before it reaches your demand stack.
MagicShield uses prebid and postbid validation, real-time risk scoring, signature checks, and device fingerprinting to keep your setup compliant and trustworthy. It works across web, app, and CTV helping publishers prevent deductions before they happen.
What to Remember
Google won’t tell you exactly what traffic was invalid and yes, that makes this harder to fix. But understanding when deductions happen, how they appear in your reports, and what patterns to look for gives you an edge.
If you’re seeing revenue drops, fluctuating reports, or regular “Invalid Activity” line items, it’s time to audit your traffic and strengthen your setup.
Need help auditing your invalid traffic risk?
We work with high-traffic publishers to improve revenue quality, detect suspicious traffic early, and reduce deductions at the source. Reach out to us a support@magicbid.ai
FAQ
Look for “Invalid Activity” line items in your Transactions page or sudden mismatches between estimated and finalized earnings. You may also notice unusual traffic patterns in Analytics or spikes from low-quality referral sources.
No. Deductions are automatic adjustments for invalid traffic. Policy violations, on the other hand, may result in warnings, limited ad serving, or even account suspension and usually come with a message in Policy Center.
Yes. Click bombing or malicious traffic attacks can trigger deductions even if you didn’t generate them. While you can’t control everything, tools like MagicShield, Pixalate, or Fraudlogix help detect and block suspicious patterns before they impact earnings.
In most cases, no. Google’s systems are automated and final. You can report suspected sabotage through the Invalid Clicks Contact Form but refunds to advertisers usually mean the revenue is permanently lost.
If you’re not making the most of your ad space, you’re leaving money on the table.
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With MagicBid’s advanced ad tech and expert support, you can turn your traffic into higher earnings without the guesswork.
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