Explaining botnet
A botnet is a network of malware-infected computers, phones, TVs and routers that one operator controls remotely to commit ad fraud, sell proxies or run DDoS.
Decoded
Reference articles that each go deep on a single ad tech term. Every entry in the Explaining series opens with a plain-language definition, then covers the mechanics, origins, key dates, limitations, and commonly confused adjacent terms - grounded in PPC Land coverage, platform documentation, and industry standards from bodies like the IAB.
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Previous Posts-
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Explaining poisoned SERP
A poisoned SERP is a search results page where malware, phishing or scam pages reach visible slots through SEO poisoning, hacked sites or fraudulent search ads.
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Explaining sunset (API)
An API sunset is the date a platform permanently switches off an API version or endpoint, ending its deprecation period so that requests begin to return errors.
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Explaining release notes
Release notes are dated documents in which a software or platform vendor lists what changed in a release, from new features and bug fixes to breaking changes.
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Explaining client library
A client library is a prebuilt code package wrapping a service's API in one programming language, handling sign-in, requests, paging and errors for developers.
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Explaining minor version
Minor version: the middle number in a MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH release, signalling new features that should not break existing code. How ad tech uses and bends it.
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Explaining free listings
Free listings are unpaid product results Google builds from Merchant Center data on Search, Shopping and YouTube. How they work, and why Europe has lost them.
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Explaining drop-and-pop
A drop-and-pop is when Google pulls a domain's keyword rankings for a few days, then restores them near their old positions. Rank trackers now measure this.
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Explaining smart cropping
Smart cropping is automated reframing that finds the main subject of an image and crops it to new aspect ratios. How ad platforms use it and where it fails.
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Explaining Shopping Graph
The Shopping Graph is Google's machine-learning data set of products, sellers, prices, reviews and stock that feeds Shopping, Search, Lens, AI Mode and Gemini.
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Explaining Product Studio
Product Studio is Google's free generative AI tool in Merchant Center that creates and edits product images and videos, from new lifestyle scenes to upscaling.
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Explaining product disapproval
Product disapproval is the status a platform gives a product listing that fails data or policy review, which removes it from Shopping ads and free listings.
