Click Fraud Hype or cheap publicity

I have written on this topic earlier. Its appalling to see companies hype up click fraud issues. Click Forensics recently reported that 14.2% of clicks were fraudulent in Q4,2006. This is a ridiculously high number. And honestly, its impossible to come up with any number based on limited data set and limited knowledge. As expected Google refuted their claims.
http://www.marketingvox.com/archives/2007/02/02/google-click-fraud-study-inaccurate/

I am firmly of the opinion that click fraud threat is being hyped up at times for petty/selfish gains. Click Fraud exists - there is no question about that - however the percentage incidence is much lower than 14%.

Today Marketing Sherpa came up with an interesting study - Online marketers rated the tactics used by them in 2006 as best and worst.
The "expected" best tactic - paid search advertising. (an overwhelming 49% of the respondents rated paid search as the best online marketing tactic used).

Long live paid search.. down with the false hype for Click Fraud.

- Udayan Bose