Key takeaways
- Repeated IP addresses do not automatically mean repeated people.
- Static lists age quickly and can create collateral blocking.
- Provider capabilities and limits vary.
- Every exclusion should have scope, reason, expiry, and reversal.
Why an IP address is weak identity
Universities, offices, households, mobile networks, and internet providers may place many legitimate users behind one public address. Addresses can also rotate or be reassigned. Conversely, one automated actor may use many addresses.
This makes an IP useful as network evidence but unreliable as a standalone identity or intent signal.
Require corroboration and bounded scope
Before exclusion, inspect timing, campaign context, user agents, device consistency, navigation, outcomes, network ownership, and recurrence. Prefer the narrowest supported scope and test whether legitimate traffic shares the same address range.
- State the evidence threshold used.
- Limit duration and schedule review.
- Track attempted, applied, and verified states.
- Monitor legitimate volume after the change.
Use IP evidence as one control among several
Campaign controls, first-party validation, rate limits, bot defences, lead verification, and provider escalation may address the underlying problem more safely. The best response depends on the abuse pattern and the channel’s supported capabilities.
Limitations
What this guide does not claim
This is operational guidance, not a universal blocking rule. Review provider documentation, privacy obligations, network context, and business impact before applying exclusions.
Evidence
Primary sources
- About invalid trafficGoogle Ads Help
- Invalid clicks: definitionGoogle Ads Help
- Automated Threats to Web ApplicationsOWASP Foundation
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