Growing Use of Online Ad Measurement Standards

Several major media companies are due to implement the Global Internet Ad Impression Measurement Guidelines by the end of the year. The guidelines, produced by the US Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), provide a standard method of measuring online ad impressions.

The standards count ad impressions after an ad has been displayed on the page, which assures that ads are being delivered to users. In addition to global guidelines, which have been accepted by key industry stakeholders in the US, Europe, Asia and Latin America, there are specific guidelines for the US, which include a recommendation for industry-driven third-party auditing and certification.

This is the first time that any advertising medium has developed a standard that measures the ad itself, as delivered to a consumer, and it is the first medium to launch a 'global' measurement standard. Other media (such as television, radio and magazines) use different measuring techniques depending on country and region.

Companies which already comply include Yahoo!, CNET Networks, Univsion and weather.com. Those working towards implementation by the beginning of next year include MSN, 24/7 Real Media, AOL Media Networks, DoubleClick and iVillage.

Greg Stuart, CEO of IAB, says the involvement of such major media names 'demonstrates our industry's commitment to making interactive the most accountable mainstream medium, and indicates a continued maturing of a 10-year-old industry'.

The IAB represents more than 200 leading interactive companies that are actively engaged in, and support the sale of, interactive advertising. A full copy of the guidelines is available at www.iab.net/measurement .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.