The Online Advertising Playbook: Proven Strategies and Tested Tactics from The Advertising Research Foundation

Appendix. Online Audience and Advertising Effectiveness Measurement

Online advertising is now over a decade old, and has finally secured its rightful place in the media mix. Companies from Fortune 1000s to small start-ups now realize how critical maintaining a presence online is toward building their brand, creating engagement, and improving sales. However, despite the fact that the internet has moved from media planning afterthought to line item, much of the promise of online advertising remains unfulfilled.

The original promise of online advertising was its greater accountability compared to other media platforms. The internet allowed more accurate measurement, the ability to gauge effectiveness, and the opportunity to optimize performance in real time. While it is true that digital media are more trackable and accountable than most other forms of advertising, the noise-to-data ratio remains high. There is such an overwhelming amount of information that can be collected, it becomes increasingly difficult to discern actionable metrics and insights under the avalanche of data.

The universe of online measurement can be bewildering. There are competing methodologies, competing products, and competing claims that create a great deal of confusion in the marketplace. To address some of this confusion, we need a better understanding of the measurement landscape. This Appendix discusses some of the most prominent measurement services available (from the broad array of possibilities), ...