IAB Sets Out Definition For Online Ad Measurement
A consortium of online advertisers, agencies and researchers has unveiled a global definition and standard for the measurement of online advertising.
The IAB has showcased the new audience measurement system, which marks the first time any medium has launched a global measurement standard in agreement with all the key industry stakeholder organisations. Where other media, such as television, radio and magazines use different measuring techniques depending on country and region the new online measurement guidelines are expected to be adopted across Europe and the US by the end of 2005.
The new guidelines are intended to boost the growth of internet advertising by simplifying the buying and selling process for advertisers, marketers and publishers. The IAB claims the new code has the support of almost all major online publishers, and the majority of major online advertising server technologies, world-wide.
Among other key points, the guidelines give advertisers and media owners alike detailed definitions for counting an ad impression, a critical component in establishing consistent and accurate online advertising measurements across publishers and ad serving technologies.
Commenting on the completion of the new guidelines Danny Meadows-Klue, president of IAB Europe, said: “The internet industry is leaping enthusiastically at the challenges of building global standards. These are landmark moments in a truly ground breaking medium.”
Amongst those organisations involved in the creation of the cross-border guidelines are ABC Electronic, the Advertising Research Foundation, the American Association of Advertising Agencies, the Asian Digital Marketing Association, the Association of National Advertisers and IAB offices around the world.
The measurement standard has been in developed after extensive research and testing on all the relevant variables world-wide. The completion of the project follows an agreement earlier this year by IAB Europe’s strategy council to accept the metrics that have already been in place in the UK and Ireland through the work of ABC Electronic, which has been in consultation with media owners, advertisers and media buyers (see Industry Moves Towards Single Online Measurement System).
Commenting on the deal, Richard Foan, managing director of ABC Electronic, said: “ABC Electronic was set up eight years ago to promote the viability of UK standards for Internet accountability. Through Chairing the IFABC Web Standards Group we have been championing the benefits of online industry standards across Europe and we’re delighted that these are now being implemented for ad campaign measurement.”
He added: “We are all working towards a common goal of increasing online advertising spend through demonstrating accountability and raising confidence in the credibility of the medium.”
Online advertising continues to go from strength to strength, with advertising spend in the sector looking set to overtake that of radio by Christmas. The prediction, made by IAB UK and PriceWaterhouseCoopers, gives the online advertising industry an earlier than expected boost, as it had not been expected to overtake radio in terms of adspend until 2007. However, the latest research shows that the rapid growth of paid-for search and recruitment advertising has given the industry an unexpected shot in the arm (see Online Adspend To Overtake Radio By Christmas).
IAB: 020 8683 955 www.iabuk.net
Recent New Media Stories from NewsLine WAP Still Popular As Autumn Rears Its Head Associated New Media Creates Dedicated Research Arm UK Broadband Usage To Double In Six Months
Subscribers can access ten years of media news and analysis in the Archive