The Interactive Advertising Bureau released an updated version, the first since 2009, of its “Digital Video In-Stream Ad Metric Definitions” for public comment. Developed by the IAB Digital Video Committee, these definitions of commonly used analytic terms provide uniform language for the serving of in-stream digital video ads. This update incorporates terminology from the IAB Digital Video Suite (VSuite), which simplifies the technical execution of video advertising and enhances digital video advertising experiences.
Major updates include:
• New Metrics Added
Ad expand/collapse – Refers to ad creative expansion behavior rather than expand/collapse metrics, which refer to player behavior.
Skip – Describes when a user intentionally skips a linear video ad by clicking a button or other control mechanism.
Other ad interaction – Catchall for additional ad interactions not mentioned in the document.
• Metrics Removed
Non-overlay, nonlinear ads – No longer or rarely used in the marketplace. Companion ads can now be used to accommodate such use cases.
View – No longer used to measure video ads, as it is too easily confused with impressions. Technology vendors may use the “creative view” metric to track which video codec or technical version of an ad was played, but this refers to technical analysis and not measuring user engagement.
• Additional Modifications
Distinguishing between player metrics and ad metrics to differentiate ad performance measurement from player interactions. While player interactions may still apply to ad performance, grouping them may improve ad/player performance analysis.
While expand/collapse still reference player behavior, it has been changed to “player expand” and “player collapse” for added clarity.
“Consensus on the language we use around ad measurement is the foundation for effective conversations between publishers, marketers, creatives and media buyers” said Sherrill Mane, SVP/Research, Analytics and Measurement, IAB. “These definitions bring the lexicon up to date with current video industry technology and industry usage.”
“The IAB is working to ensure this document is an important and valuable resource for all players in the digital video advertising space. With the industry and technologies evolving at such a rapid pace, it was necessary to update the document to define new metrics and clarify terminology, while removing points that are no longer relevant,” said Margenett Moore-Roberts, Senior Director, Video Advertising Strategy, Yahoo and co-Chair of the Digital Video In-Stream Metrics Working Group within the IAB Digital Video Committee.
