Unmasking MFA Websites: Protecting Your Brand in the Wild and Woolly World of Digital Advertising
By Marc Cristiano - President, The Council on Interdisciplinary Advancement
Made-for-Advertising (MFA) sites are essentially digital real estate built almost entirely to serve ads, nothing more, nothing less. These are properties created for the sole purpose of maximizing impressions and clicks, often with low-quality content, clickbait, and aggressive ad tactics. They don’t offer real value to users, nor do they deliver meaningful engagement. But they do generate billions of ad impressions, making them a significant part of the programmatic ecosystem.
If they generate revenue at virtually no cost for publishers and provide platforms for brands to reach wider audiences, then what is the problem? For brands that care about quality, safety, and return on ad spend (ROAS), MFA sites are a hidden danger. They’re a wolf in sheep’s clothing, sitting right in the middle of the supply chain.
Even if your primary KPI is branding and reach, then why should you care? Well, if you’re not vigilant, your ad dollars may be supporting content and environments you wouldn’t want your brand associated with. MFA sites often feature inappropriate content or bait-and-switch tactics that can damage your brand reputation, violating the concept of brand safety. Ads on these sites perform poorly, with low engagement, high bounce, and poor ROI, ultimately resulting in wasted spend. Thus, you’re not just wasting money; you’re diluting your message with impressions that don’t convert, rendering overall campaign ineffectiveness. To add to all of the pitfalls mentioned, if your brand and organization have sustainability commitments, specifically Scope 3 emissions, MFA sites consume a disproportionate amount of digital energy, conflicting with many brands’ sustainability commitments.
The industry is beginning to wake up to this; more filters, smarter technology, but it’s still a constant battle to keep your spend clean.
I’m not pointing fingers. In my career, past and present, I always like to serve as an active partner in making sure brand media dollars go where they count. My experiences have helped me form these tips:
Work with the best tech and SSP's in the business to identify MFA characteristics in real time. These are typically the more prolific and widely-integrated SSPs as opposed to some of the lesser-known, smaller ones.
Implement strict filters that block out MFA properties before your ads even load. Any buying platforms should have functionality that allows for this. If you’re not sure, always ask.
Work with partners and internal teams to monitor inventory regularly. MFA sites pop up all the time. Active monitoring can help identify MFA sites before ads begin to show up on them.
It’s about more than filtering. Focus on building trusted supply streams by cultivating relationships with transparent inventory sources that meet your standards.
Knowledge is power. Educate your team so you all understand MFA risks and can avoid them proactively. If you know what to look for, you have a much better chance of avoiding pitfalls.
The bottom line? MFA websites aren’t going away overnight, but with the right approach, you don’t have to support a single one of them. Trust and transparency come from active management; filtering, monitoring, and working with partners who prioritize quality. That’s how you turn challenge into opportunity.
I’ve been in this game for a long time. I understand the ins and outs. I’ve always been committed to helping brands make smarter buys, protecting their reputation and budget.
In digital advertising, transparency isn’t optional, it’s your best defense. Still unsure if your media buying strategies and practices are on point? We're always here to help.