Publisher Analytics: Google, Ad Viewability, User Data

In recent news from the world of publisher analytics, we see Google share the top factors for search, the IAB’s latest pronouncement on ad viewability, the efficacy of data monetization, and more

When it comes to paramount considerations for digital magazines, publisher analytics must be included among the top tier. Data is definitely in.

From organic search to sifting through magazine circulation numbers, nailing down that data can be crucial for media companies seeking an edge.

MediaPost gives meaning to the numbers with some significant updates, including some big news from Google. Let’s crunch.

Google Gives Up the Goods on Effective Search Engine Optimization

Would you ever believe you’d hear about how to rank highly on Google, straight from one of their own search quality senior strategists? Well, believe it – MediaPost’s Search Marketing Daily has the scoop.

“In addition to the machine-learning algorithm Google calls RankBrain, Andrey Lipattsev, search quality senior strategist at Google Ireland, named links and content as the top three contributing factors. Lipattsev did not put the three factors in order, and these three are not the only important factors. The factors also include quality, speed, keywords, page and code structure, authority, reputation, among others,” Laurie Sullivan writes.

“Jennifer Slegg, search engine marketing consultant and author, wrote in a blog post that RankBrain may not be the third factor that Google considers when returning search engine query results. It could be the third most important for some queries, but not all.”

IAB on Ad Viewability: An Aid for Publisher Analytics

You have to say this for the Interactive Advertising Bureau in the age of ad blocking programs: They’re trying their best to help digital publishers and advertisers find the best path to victory. MediaPost reports on the latest strategy paper from the service.

“The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) released a primer on improving ad viewability aimed at publishers on Tuesday. The primer, focusing on site design, ad tech and operational strategy and policies, outlines a range of tactics for publishers including working with a third-party vendor or using an internal measurement system as a ‘source of truth’ that can be used as a baseline and in testing and iterating,” Felicia Greiff writes.

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“A mere 46% of digital ads were viewable in 2015, about the same as the year before, according to research from Viant. The research also found that major media brands including CBS and CNN had a 71% viewability rate for 2015, an improvement from 2014’s 67% average.”

Does It Pay to Leverage Consumer Magazine Stats?

In a word, yes, MediaPost’s Publishers Daily reports.

“Access to large quantities of data isn’t as much of a problem as access to the right kinds of data for those in the advertising business. Having quality data was extremely valuable to publishers and advertisers last year,” Ben Frederick writes.

“Ads with a GPS coordinate increased eCPM (effective cost per thousand impressions) by 162%, and those that leveraged user data like age and gender saw their eCPMs triple on average in Q4, according to the Global Trends in Mobile Advertising report from Smaato. 2015 was a good year for mobile. Mobile spending surpassed desktop spending in the U.S. in 2015, increasing 174% year-over-year (YoY) from Q4 2014. U.S. consumers also added about an hour of time on their phones as well.”

Conde Nast Goes All in on Programmatic Advertising

As originally reported by Ad Age, Conde Nast’s programmatic ad efforts are ramping up, according to MediaPost’s Publishers Daily.

“The new products augment the publisher’s current programmatic capabilities, centering on its “Premium at Scale” service, which allows marketers to target CN’s online audiences using demographic and contextual data through an automated interface. With the new products, media buyers will gain access to more inventory as well as custom segments based on the publisher’s own first-party data,” Erik Sass writes.

“The publisher will also offer programmatic executions linked to specific events for increased contextual relevance. It is also introducing audience extension, with the option of reaching a specific consumer segment with additional reach outside the company’s own network, all executed through a single programmatic buy.”

Publisher analytics are more important than ever – how are you tracking yours? Tell us how data has changed the way you do business in the comments!

To read more about publisher analytics and other industry news, visit MediaPost.com.

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