Silverlight Digital CEO, Lori Goldberg writes for iMediaConnection.com.
Do advertisers pay for ads that are never seen by consumers? Typically, the answer could be “yes”. Digital advertising, like radio, TV and print is somewhat based on the ad’s “opportunity to be seen” by consumers. Just as a radio listener may turn down the volume during an ad or a television viewer may go to the bathroom during a commercial, there is no truly scientific way to count each individuals presence and attentiveness for the duration of an ad. Advertisers are buying the ads’ opportunity to be seen or heard by an estimated audience. Impressions are similar. Some ads may appear below the fold – near the bottom of the web page – and never seen by the consumer, much less be properly digested, read or understood. Previously, impressions indicated that the ad loaded into the page – nothing more. So, this is a big deal. In digital advertising where EVERYTHING can presumably be measured, why are so many paid impressions not being viewed by consumers?
This topic is still fresh (and a bit fuzzy) in most people’s mind and there are more questions than answers, though the Internet Advertising Bureau appears to be working to sort things out. To help un-muddy the waters, Silverlight Digital has put together this Brief Guide to Viewability for Digital Advertisers (Read it on iMediaConnection) and our handy info graphic below:
