Hair Loss Advertising Online

Written by Spencer Kobren on July 7, 2008

Why credible and trusted websites may be displaying ads for bad products and services.

By now, people are becoming increasingly aware that there are many untrustworthy websites on the Internet, like the ones that will try to sell you snake oil remedies for hair loss. Scams and spam are rampant online but there are sites out there that you can trust.

Or can you?

Often, a trustworthy website will show ads for products or websites that are not trustworthy at all. This means that when conducting research and buying products on the Internet, hair loss sufferers need to be vigilant about every link they click.

How it happens

Many websites use advertising programs to generate revenue. The advertising programs are provided to website publishers by advertising affiliate networks. These networks perform two significant duties. First, they sell ad campaigns to companies, websites, and independent professionals who want to market their businesses online. Second, they provide affiliate advertising to website publishers.

When website publishers sign up with affiliate networks, they enter topics or keywords that are relevant to the content on their own sites. The affiliate networks then provide a bit of code that is inserted into the publisher’s website. This code is automated to generate the ads that you see on many sites.

No control over ad displays

The problem with this model is that the publishers have little control over which ads appear on their sites other than to specify rather broad categories and topics. A credible website that focuses on hair loss will naturally enter “hair loss” as an advertising keyword. However, the ads that appear may very likely link to gimmicky websites that are pitching products or services that are either dangerous or simply do not work.

Be wary

The best way to protect yourself is to understand that whenever you click on a link, you may be exiting the site you’re visiting and heading into new territory. This should be obvious as the second site will probably look a lot different from the first. For each new site you visit, be wary of the site’s credibility. Always practice safe, smart web surfing and always look for the American Hair Loss Association certification seal before you even consider buying any product or service to treat your hair loss.

Spencer Kobren
Founder, American Hair Loss Association
Founder and Director of Consumer/Patient Affairs, International Alliance of Hair Restoration Surgeons (IAHRS.ORG)