Category Archives: metrics

Calling All Analytics Vendors and Ad Networks

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There has been an incredible amount of interest and enthusiasm the Viewthrough.org effort from across the ad technology stack, evolving into a real grass-roots Viewthrough Measurement Consortium. Many thanks to all those who have taken the time to share their considerable insights, ideas and candid feedback.


LEARNINGS SO FAR
Below are some key learnings gathered from throughout this process:

  • Nobody is happy about clickthrough measurement and its inherent biases
  • With the DAA and IAB doing their own thing and the emergence of ad viewability as the latest bright shiny object, viewthrough measurement continues to be looked over
  • Most everyone wants better viewthrough measurement but are unsure how to push this forward on their own
  • Many digital advertising companies across the ad tech stack are already measuring viewthrough but don’t necessarily label it viewthrough or they are not breaking it out in their reports today.  
    • Reasons include that it is confusing to clients/agencies that are still focused on last-click attribution; also, that there is that lack of standard definitions, i.e. mention viewthrough and get ready to teach.


It is apparent that analytics and advertising vendors are seeking a meaningful way to report passive display media response. It should be a concern to everyone that many ad networks do not get credit for viewthrough performance today, itself a by-product of slimy performance networks and cookie-stuffing. While the bigger Viewthrough.org strategy evolves (advocacy, research, standards, best practices), there is a definitely tangible step that is low-cost and be taken today.

NEXT STEP: VIEWTHROUGH SCORECARD
Vendors that are already reporting on passive post-exposure response to display media (beyond clickthroughs) ought to consider letting the industry know.Whether it is raw viewthrough visits, a viewthrough rate or viewthrough conversions, now is the time and this is the place.

Below is the current list of vendors known to the Viewthrough Measurement Consortium that provide analytics/reports that specifically containing viewthrough performance:

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Measurement Gobbledygook

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With the proliferation of analytics, there has also been a boom in jargon, semantic-driven miscues and misuse of terminology essential to business management.

Goal – the singular and primary winning state that is desired.

Objective – the measurable milestones that contribute and define the goal.

Strategy – the actions, tasks and/or steps needed to realize the goal.

Tactic – the tools or implements used to support execution of the strategy and reach the objectives.

SM (Success Metric) A subset of metrics or KPIs that communicate the efficacy

KPI (Key Performance Indicator) An important measure that should be tracked and reported.

MVA (Most Valued Action) Like an SM, but generic enough to include clicks or other non-page serving activity.

Precision Exactness of a measurement, e.g. 1.2 Page Views/Visit versus 1 vs 1.2109.

Accuracy Indication of how close a measure is to the generally accepted; it is about the relative difference.

Efficiency Measure of how well desired outcome is achieved per given unit of input, often expressed as a ratio

Efficacy Measure of the ability to produce a avery specific outcome, often a binary determination under given conditions.

Effectiveness Measure of the capability to produce the desired outcome, used more generally and as a relative measure.