In the online advertising process, there are two areas where a Digital Audit can add value:
Web site traffic is instrumental in the media planning process. Advertising delivery ensures that ad impressions are properly served and counted.
With billions of dollars in ad revenue flowing into digital media, advertisers will increasingly require independently audited numbers to verify activity and foster trust in this evolving medium.
Just as publishers and print advertisers demand accuracy and credibility for traditional media, those investing in digital media will come to expect the same standards.
While there is no doubt that digital media is reaching a wider audience—and will continue to do so — there is a growing demand for accountability online. Simply put, marketers want to be sure they are getting what they pay for. The myriad forms of measurement available today, and the rapidly changing technology on which they rely, have—ironically—made it difficult for advertising buyers and sellers to completely agree on key metrics, definitions, and billing standards.
To help meet your growing demand for more independently verified online data, the ABC and CAB are developing a suite of interactive tools and audit services for online publishers, advertisers and advertising agencies.
Digital Audits support international initiatives for the development of standard industry measurement, reporting and auditing.
Consider having your web measurement reporting audited. This will allow you to provide media planners and prospective advertisers with independently verified traffic data based on industry agreed standards.
Advertising Agencies
Encourage Web sites to continually monitor discrepancies between third-party ad-server reporting and their own internal logs.
Agencies that rely on their own third-party ad-serving numbers for client billing should verify that the ad-serving technology has been audited and also commit to a process audit to have related internal controls and procedures evaluated.
Because of the growing importance of digital across all platforms, educate planners and buyers across the spectrum about the intricacies of online reporting and ad-serving technology.
Advertisers
Examine the processes and procedures your advertising agency uses to measure, report, and bill for your online media campaigns to ensure that appropriate technologies and controls are audited.
Consider a campaign-specific audit to verify that ad activity (impressions, click-throughs, conversions, etc.) is accurately measured during a specific period.
The Audited Advantage—Credibility You Can Sell
An ABA web measurement service can do just that – satisfy advertisers’ need for reliable, credible data to reassure them that your Web site attracts and delivers the audience they’re looking to target. This is an important competitive advantage in a market flooded with unverified Web site traffic claims. The ABA can also help you integrate data from both your print and online brands, allowing you to present advertisers with your entire media footprint in one convenient report.
Digital media and online advertising are continuing to evolve, with growth likely to continue for the foreseeable future. As interactive media become more valued by advertisers, the demand for accountability (are marketers getting what they paid for?) will only increase.
For publisher’s using server-based audience measurement, ABC already offers an audit to verify the data produced by the log files. A Web site’s server, or your analytics company, maintains a complete record of all activity that occurs on the site. These records are called log files and are rich with data about your site’s traffic such as the number of unique users, page views, top requested pages and more.
The log file analysis offering however, does not take advantage of current technology: it is labor intensive, slow and expensive. The lack of real time reporting and high cost discourages greater client interest. Therefore, the ABA has decided to undertake a review of our current web measurement offering to ensure it is providing what the market needs in both the short and long term.
Certified data provides advertisers, sponsors and other investors in your business with independent verification of the claims you are making; this enables you to support your business case with transparent, credible and comparable data. By demonstrating your support for industry agreed standards you associate your online business with the ABA, the recognised media auditing brand, delivering trust that you trade with integrity and professionalism.
The Express Guide to the Industry Agreed Metrics:
| 1. How many - | the 'audience reach' metric = Unique Users |
| 2. How busy - | the 'volume' metric = Page Impressions |
| 3. How often - | the 'frequency' metric = Visits |
| 4. What see - | the 'opportunity to see' metric = Ad Impressions |
| 5. What do - | the 'response' metric = Ad Clicks |
> View the Industry Agreed Metrics
Advertiser and Media Buyer Survey Results Released by the ABC and CAB
5th February 2010 - It has been confirmed by agencies and advertisers that audited circulation data plays a vital role in media planning and purchasing decisions.
CAB Publicity Correction
4th February 2010 - The Board of Directors today issued a Publicity Correction regarding CAB member Convenience & Impulse Retailing magazine following the resolution of a publicity matter made by Retail Media.
Industry Associations Meet
22nd January 2010 - A meeting yesterday between representatives from the MFA[1], the IAB Australia[2] and the ABA[3] resulted in a greater commitment towards standardisation and transparency of online audience metrics.
ABA Web Audit members approve digital audit standards on October 9, 2009
October 9, 2009 - The ABA’s Digital Watchdog Committee, formed following the launch of the ABA Web Audit Service in July, held its inaugural meeting on September 30, 2009.
ABA Web Audit Service builds momentum on September 25, 2009
September 25, 2009 - Publishers have raced to take advantage of the Audit Bureaux of Australia’s Web Audit Service, with the number of Australian online sites submitting for audit more than doubled in the last month.
CAB Education Series Begins on August 18, 2009
August 18, 2009 - Over the next few weeks CAB will be on the road taking the new Rules out to members and auditors through a series of workshops being held in capital cities around the country.
Launch of IASH Australia brings greater accountability for online advertising.
August 7, 2009 - Twelve of Australia’s leading online advertising companies yesterday announced the formation of IASH Australia (Internet Advertising Sales Houses of Australia), the industry body that will take over the mantle from IANA to bring greater accountability for online advertisers.
CAB adds even more data on July 20, 2009
July 20, 2009 - CAB has added new audited data to eData, CAB's online data access portal, following the completion of additional audits for the period ending March 2009.
CAB adds more data on June 30, 2009
June 30, 2009 - Following the release of data for the period ended March 2009 through the new web site, a number of CAB members’ audited data and publisher’s statement have been received and have now been added to the database.
