asi TV symposium: Facebook appeals for help!
“We want to ask for your help and ask you how we can partner. We are eagerly awaiting ideas and will bring our data to the party.” So, Sean Bruich, Facebook’s head of measurement, platforms and standards, concluded in a presentation on Friday at the ASI European TV Symposium in Prague, in front of delegates representing all the major global research companies.
The social media giant may reach one in seven of the world population now and account for one in every five minutes of internet time (in the UK that’s seven hours per month per user) but when it comes to using all the data accumulated, partnerships look like being the chosen route forward.
Most high profile recently has been the ‘Online Campaign Ratings’ initiative with Nielsen and early research from that is said to show a higher ROI among those exposed to both TV and Facebook spots, according to Bruich.
“The future has to be cross platform” he said. “Measurement of these campaigns has to be standardized and there needs to be enough depth of data to see the mechanics of what is impacting on sales.”
Earlier, the company’s measurement partnership lead, Alex North, had illustrated the levels of chat around TV programmes, taking the season two opener of Homeland as an example. He reported that the chatter on Facebook was 50% more than that on Twitter and more representative demographically, led by 20-44s with an average of 130 friends each.
So, definitely potentially impactful and a driver towards the programme, as much of it was in advance, although might we have expected a more significant lead over Twitter chat given the respective platform reach figures?
The much mentioned growth of tablets and mobile was to the fore again too, with only 31% of this activity coming from the desktop.
But ESPN’s VP of integrated media research, Glenn Enoch, commented from the floor that the activity around TV programmes is great but to make use of it broadcasters would want to see the chatter for themselves. And not just on their own pages.
“We can’t let you see private conversations but we can aggregate it for you,” responded North.
So, does this limit quite how useful the data will really ever be? What would broadcasters do in any case with immediate data around live shows? And might we be into a dangerous game if they made changes on-the-fly based on social comment? ‘Tapping’ the judges on X Factor as a result maybe?
How is this interest best measured? On Thursday, SecondSync explained their reach number was the addition of all the followers of those tweeting. There is interesting data from SecondSync but it doesn’t seem to be very helpful or a realistic figure.
“We shouldn’t just count mentions we should look at the exposed audience” said Bruich. But to make this really work for advertisers he needs help. The research companies heard him! The request is out. Watch this space!
For further information on the asi television symposium, please visit www.asi.eu.com or email asi@dial.pipex.com