Have You Audited your Viewability Lately?

In 2016 it is essential for content publishers to be aware and do everything they can to improve viewability metrics. According to Digiday Viewability is an online advertising metric that aims to track only impressions that can actually be seen by users. For example, if an ad is loaded at the bottom of a webpage but a user doesn’t scroll down far enough to see it, that impression would not be deemed viewable.

5 Step Approach to Improve Viewability

Step 1: The Research

Research the industry standard measurements for your specific platform, vertical and units. All sites are not created equal and viewability vendors have different technology stacks. Analyze both your display and mobile ad layouts and how your competitors are dealing with viewability.

Step 2: Analysis

Keep in mind vendor differences mean measurement discrepancies. Analyze each vendor’s measurements to find an average representing the most accurate measurement.

Step 3: The Ideation

After you gather all the facts, brainstorm what portions of your site or which ad units may be in need of a re-design. Take ideas from top ComScore sites in your vertical to see how they are designed and what has changed in their layouts over time. Here is a great post by Study Break Media addressing vieability. Consult with your development team on how to best implement and track the overall effect of the changes.

Step 4: The Production

Execute on the approved re-design idea.

Step 5: Re-Introduce into the market

Re-introduce your ad unit’s or re-designed property to the market via a brief marketing campaign. This should attract positive press and entice direct advertisers to consider running direct campaigns with you.

What have you done to address viewability on your site?