Hi there. Recently, we started running Google search ads for several campaigns. We have a lead gen form on the landing page to track conversions and are getting a lot of bot submissions, but only for one ad group (mortgage). Has anyone else experienced this from search, and if so, what solutions have you implemented? Our agency has contacted Google several times but has not gotten actionable feedback. Is there another layer of security we can ad to our forms other than Captcha to prevent submission? Recently I noticed on another platform the Captcha included handwritten characters to throw off bots. Anyone aware if that option is coming?
Hi @CRidout3,
Here are a few things I can think off:
- Email validation: This helps block fake emails from sneaking through.
- Hidden fields (aka honeypot fields): You can add an invisible field that bots will fill out but real users won’t. HubSpot forms already do this by default, but you can get more creative with custom fields if needed.
- reCAPTCHA v3: If you’re not using it yet, this one runs in the background and only challenges suspicious traffic, so it doesn’t annoy your users.
The handwritten CAPTCHA thing you mentioned isn’t something HubSpot supports natively yet, but reCAPTCHA v3 should help with filtering out bots without making it harder for real users.
If the bot traffic is especially bad from Google Ads, consider tightening your targeting and setting up conversion tracking to weed out the junk quicker.
Best,
Jess
Hi Jess. I appreciate the suggestions regarding email validation and honeypot fields. I’m not our HS admin (well, on paper I am, but execution is not my wheelhouse - just pitching in to try and troubleshoot - but will check the forums for tips on creating the invisible field. I’m also going to ask our developer about implementing reCAPTCHA v3 as well. Thanks!