Not all online video is created equal: Three key metrics you NEED to monitor

May 14th, 2014 | Al Torres, VP of Sales & Business Development – North America, Telemetry

Al Torres
Al Torres

We’ve heard all the hype about viewability and how it will be the savior for the digital world. The theory goes that with the Media Ratings Council (MRC) recently setting a standard definition, brands will have all the confidence they need to transition TV budget to online video (OLV). Although this is a great step in the right direction, brands need to know the truth – all OLV is not created equal.

The three key metrics advertisers must monitor to ensure their video execution parallels that of TV are viewability, audibility and ad size. On average, about 50-60% of most brands’ OLV media is actually achieving these three basic measures of execution. So if a brand equates TV to OLV, the media failing to meet those basic measures is essentially wasted.

For a brand, there’s at least one question that should be asked – Why are my agency and ad-tech partners focusing on viewability and not the others? The answers are simple. The industry lacks the technology, true OLV inventory availability, and a reasonable cost structure that would allow for these metrics to be mandated.

In regards to technology, most of the companies focusing on viewability do not have the proper integrations with media owners, especially Full Episode Players. The ability to assess audibility and ad size typically eludes most companies given the complexities of online video.

The second largest obstacle in the online video space comes from the fact that there is not enough premium content available to align with advertising. Although many companies have announced new and exclusive video content, the idea that inventory is currently vast or infinite is inaccurate. True OLV is finite.

Lastly, the current business model of most publishers, DSP’s and trading desks typically revolves around the amount of volume (a.k.a impressions) delivered. This often creates an environment where publishers will execute media in ways that would be considered inefficient to most advertisers – for example, muting video ads, delivering video ads in multiple cycles for more scale, or running costly OLV ads in banner spaces (i.e. 300×250 banner ad).

Since most brands and agencies are not focusing on these additional basic metrics, the “grey area” publisher tactics continue to be pervasive. As was noted at a recent ANA conference, “Where there is mystery, there is margin.”

Until brands demand quality and integrate the level of oversight over their media’s execution, the transition from TV to online video will be slow in adoption. Brands need to work with partners that realize the potential for online video and how it can equally address their audience through site, sound and motion. Only when brands are confident that their ads are viewable, audible and of premium ad size, will the transition really begin.


Al Torres
Al Torres is the VP of Sales & Business Development – North America for Telemetry, a London-based independent digital media forensics company. Prior to Telemetry, he spent 4 years in publisher media sales and 7 years in finance and strategic consulting for Fortune 500 companies. Al is a sought after speaker on digital marketing and the transitional growth of the industry, with conference appearances including Ad-Tech, IAB and Deutsche Bank Annual Media, Internet & Telecom Conference.