What is IP usage

IP usage shows what type of network each of your ad clicks came from. Use it to spot where bad traffic is coming from.

• Where to find it: in the Dimensional analysis table in Analytics, click Add dimension and select IP usage.
• Why it matters: traffic from some network types, especially Hosting, is far more likely to be bad traffic.

IP usage values

There are four types, plus a dash for clicks with no type.

Reserved vs dash

Both labels come from ClickGuard's IP intelligence data, but they mean different things.

• Reserved is a known network type. The IP is set aside by its internet provider.
• – (dash) means there's no network type for that IP, so the field is left blank.

Reading the numbers

Reserved and dash rows usually hold very few clicks, so their rates swing to extremes.

• For example, in a Performance Max campaign: dash has 3 clicks at 0.0% bad traffic, and Reserved has 2 clicks at 100.0% with 2 sources blocked.
• A 100% or 0% rate on a handful of clicks is not a trend. Judge by click volume first.
• Focus on the Consumer, Corporate and Hosting rows. They carry almost all traffic.

FAQ

Why do I see a dash (–) instead of a type?

There's no network type for that IP. This affects a very small share of clicks.

Is Reserved traffic bad?

Not by itself. Check the click count first. Small rows can show 0% or 100% from just a few clicks.

Why is Hosting traffic almost always blocked?

Hosting IPs belong to data centers and cloud servers. Real customers rarely click ads from them, so they're a strong sign of bots.

See also: What are IPs and IP ranges.