Online Adspend Measurement Set To Improve

Measuring online adspend will become more accurate, as Nielsen Media Research and Nielsen//NetRatings collaborate to expand their coverage to almost 600 websites.

Combining Nielsen//NetRatings AdRelevance data with Nielsen Media Research expenditure methodology, information on internet share of voice via the Nielsen Media Research suite of products should significantly improve.

The new methodology brings Nielsen Media Research cost estimates in line with those published by the IAB. Expenditure will be at advertiser and major category level, with more than 50 creatives a day carrying brand and category detail, by email alert or through an online tool.

Advertising expenditure will be calculated based on the actual logs that Nielsen Media Research secures from the top UK sites, and applying detailed CPM bandings to the sites provided by Nielsen//NetRatings’ technology.

Nielsen Media Research plans to increase actual logs and gradually replace the estimated data. Head of media insights, Paul Dunn, said: “This is a significant improvement on the information that Nielsen Media Research currently supplies. We will continue to work with the industry to further develop and improve our methodologies, especially in the area of search.”

Tom Acquaviva, director of northern Europe for Nielsen//NetRatings, added: “We are delighted to be adding our AdRelevance data to the Nielsen Media Research suite of products in order to allow advertisers to compare different media side by side.”

The timing of this collaboration coincides with an increase in the amount of money spent on internet advertising. The latest figures from Nielsen Media Research show that online display advertising spend accounted for nearly 3% of all media spend and was valued at £335.9 million in 2005.

Nielsen//NetRatings: 01865 732 388 www.nielsennetratings.com