Digital Publication Audit Service

Trusted figures for Digital Versions of Print Publications

The ABA Digital Publication Audit Service verifies how many people have viewed a digital publication and ensures that the measurement of the digital publication is rules-compliant.

Audited Members receive: Verification for Industry Rules Compliance Audit logos bearing the ABA's green tick of approval Digital figures listed alongside ABA print circulation figures

Digital Publication figures can be listed alongside other related media channels such as Print, Websites, and Email Newsletters.

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Introduction to the Digital Publication Audit Service

With a rise in printing, production and distribution costs an increasing number of print publishers are exploring the use of digital publications to service pockets of circulation and some are indeed abandoning print for a digital only offering. As the traditional market place for publishers and advertisers to conduct their business migrates to one increasingly dominated by digital technology, the demand for sophisticated performance reporting is also on the rise driven by a heightened expectation due to the interactiveness of the new medium.

The CAB supports the increased use of this medium by offering a Digital Publication audit service which enables publishers to report the number of people viewing these digital versions.

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Digital Publications Audit Process

What
The ABA will provide the publisher with Nielsen tracking tags to install. These tags will track and verify how many people have viewed a digital publication. The ABA will ensure that the measurement of the digital publication is rules-compliant.

When
A comprehensive audit will occur for each member upon joining, with further random audits of data to be conducted on a monthly basis. Data for digital publications is automatically updated on a monthly basis.

Who
The audit will be conducted by qualified ABA auditors under the guidance of the ABA‘s Digital Services Manager. The ABA’s extensive international network of web traffic professionals and auditors will ensure a global best practice approach to digital publication audits.
 

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Definitions and Key Metrics

Definition of 'Digital Publication'

‘A digital publication is an entire publication accessed or distributed digitally as a complete file unit. This can be in the form of a digital publication, which is the same product as a parent publication, or a stand-alone digital publication, which is not derived from a parent publication. Separately identifiable or accessible component parts or sub-sections of a parent publication do not constitute a digital publication. Email newsletters or websites do not constitute a digital publication.’

Metrics

Unique Viewer – the metric for ‘page-turning technology’ users where the audit can verify the measurement tag that is placed on an opening page of the Digital Publication file.

Unique Request (PDF) – the metric for PDF format users where the audit can verify the measurement tag that is placed on a web page that hosts the download link for the PDF file.

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Counting Digital Publications towards Web and Print Figures

ABA CrossMedia Masthead Reports

Print: Digital Publications cannot be aggregated with Print Circulation figures and must be reported as a separate line item within the ABA CrossMedia Masthead Reports.

Websites: Turn-page technology can be included towards a related website within the ABA CrossMedia Masthead Reports. Non-taggable file formats such as PDF are excluded from related website figures within the ABA CrossMedia Masthead Reports because there is no way to verify that the PDF was successfully loaded and viewed.

Nielsen Market Intelligence

Turn-page technology can be included towards a related website within Nielsen Market Intelligence. Non-taggable file formats such as PDF are excluded within Nielsen Market Intelligence because there is no way to verify that the PDF was successfully loaded and viewed.

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Sign up now!

To sign up to the ABA Digital Publication Audit Service please contact us on 02 8912 6009 or email webaudit@auditbureau.org.au.

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