Widgetbucks’ advertisers don’t like traffic from the Philippines

James Ryan Jonas

It’s official. Traffic and clicks on Widgetbucks ads coming from the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, China, Egypt, and Romania are not credited and will not be paid.

That’s according to a post in the official blog of Widgetbucks:

What are the non-paying countries or regions?

We are finding that advertisers are not willing to buy traffic from Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, China, Egypt, and Romania.

It’s really important to mention this is an advertiser decision regarding the value of that traffic, NOT WidgetBucks’ decision. We repeat: this is an advertiser decision regarding the value of that traffic, NOT WidgetBucks’ decision. I emphasize this because publishers, for whatever reason, will undoubtedly and incorrectly draw the conclusion it is solely WidgetBucks’ decision.

Apparently, Widgetbucks’ advertisers prefer traffic coming from countries that will quickly represent a better CPM (cost per thousand impressions), such as the US, UK, Australia, Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Brazil, India, and Japan.

Clicks and traffic from Taiwan, parts of the Middle East, and parts of South America are paid, but the rate is not as much as those from the previously mentioned countries.

Well, that’s the price the Philippines and other countries have to pay for not having a market attractive to online advertisers.

Google Adsense clicks from the Philippines, for example, are paid less compared to clicks from the US, Canada, Australia, or parts of Europe. Also, eBay and PayPal took years before they finally offered their services in the Philippines. It won’t come as a surprise then if it will also take Widgetbucks’ advertisers some time before they start targeting the Philippine audience. That is, if they will actually decide to target it at all.

Alas, websites whose main traffic comes from the Philippines should look for other ways to monetize their site because, obviously, they won’t earn much or probably won’t earn at all from Widgetbucks.

James Ryan Jonas teaches business management, investments, and entrepreneurship at the University of the Philippines (UP). He is also the Executive Director of UP Provident Fund Inc., managing and investing P3.2 Billion ($56.4 Million) worth of retirement funds on behalf of thousands of UP employees.