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Share on XAd viewability is a key topic of conversation in the advertising industry, often regarded as a fundamental measure of success for display and video ads.
But why does ad viewability matter so much?
Just because an ad is served doesn’t mean it’s actually been seen by a user. Advertisers seek out websites with high ad viewability rates because it leads to better campaign performance and a stronger return on investment (ROI).
A staggering one-third of digital ads go unseen in some environments, meaning a significant portion of advertising budgets may be wasted. Visibility is everything. An ad that doesn’t get seen can’t drive engagement, increase conversions, or deliver the results you’re looking for. However, simply serving an ad isn’t enough — ensuring that it’s viewable is the real challenge.
This article will explore what ad viewability is, how to improve it, and how to ensure your ads are seen by the right audience on the right platforms.
What Is Digital Ad Viewability?
Ad viewability is a measurement of whether an ad has a real opportunity to be seen by a user, rather than just appearing on a web page. It’s an essential metric in digital advertising, as it determines if the ad had the potential to make an impression on the viewer. Unlike traditional impressions, which simply track ad delivery, viewability focuses on whether the ad is visible and can actually capture user attention.
The Media Rating Council (MRC) offers a standardized definition for viewable display ad impressions, ensuring consistency across the industry. According to the MRC Viewable Ad Impression Guidelines, an ad is considered “viewable” when:
- Pixel Requirement: At least 50% of the ad’s pixels are displayed within the viewable space of the browser tab on an in-focus page.
- Time Requirement: The pixel requirement must be maintained for at least one continuous second after the ad has rendered for display ads and a minimum of two seconds for video ads.
These criteria ensure that an ad meets the minimum standards for visibility, offering advertisers greater transparency and more meaningful performance insights. By focusing on viewability, advertisers can ensure that their campaigns have a genuine chance to connect with their target audience, enhancing engagement and campaign success.
Why Viewability Matters in Digital Advertising
Viewability is what makes or breaks the success of your ads. Ads that aren’t viewable simply can’t drive conversions, no matter how well they’re targeted or how compelling their creative is.
Viewability is more than just a metric — it’s a cornerstone of digital advertising success. Here’s why:
- Accurate Performance Measurement: Viewability ensures advertisers know that their ads had a chance to be seen, making other performance metrics like clicks and impressions more reliable.
- Maximized ROI: Advertisers allocate their budgets based on the expectation that ads will be seen. Higher viewability rates directly correlate with better campaign performance, stronger brand recall, and ultimately, increased conversions.
- Better Brand Safety: Environments with low viewability often overlap with those that pose risks to brand safety. For example, ads displayed at the bottom of a page or obscured by other content are not just unseen but also more likely to appear in non-premium environments.
- Stronger Publisher Relationships: Publishers benefit from higher viewability rates, too. Ads that are more visible generally yield higher CPMs (cost per thousand impressions), creating a win-win for both advertisers and publishers.
While viewability is critical, it’s far from guaranteed. Just think about this:
- 33.33% of digital ads go unseen in certain environments.
- On average, the global viewability rate was 76.1% in the second half of 2023.
- The global average for overall time-in-view was 15.78 seconds.
Clearly, there’s room for improvement. These statistics underscore that simply serving an ad isn’t enough. Without addressing the gaps in viewability, advertisers risk wasting ad spend, missing potential conversions, and failing to reach campaign goals. High viewability is critical for optimizing every step of the customer journey, from awareness to action. To achieve this, advertisers and publishers need to implement targeted strategies that enhance the chances of ads being seen.
How to Improve Ad Viewability
Now that we have a clear understanding of what ad viewability entails and why it’s critical for the success of your campaigns, the next step is to explore how to actively improve it.
Here are some key strategies that can help ensure your ads don’t just exist in digital spaces but have the opportunity to capture attention.
Leverage Viewability Measurement
To optimize campaigns effectively, advertisers must actively measure and monitor ad viewability throughout the campaign lifecycle. Here’s how leveraging viewability measurement can make a difference:
- Identify Weak Spots: By analyzing viewability rates, advertisers can pinpoint specific ad placements or formats that underperform. This data enables more informed decisions about ad positioning and inventory selection, allowing for rapid adjustments.
- Enhance Ad Placements: Viewability measurement tools provide actionable insights that can be used to improve ad placements and formats. For example, by identifying low-viewability inventory, advertisers can redirect their budget toward higher-quality placements that are more likely to be seen.
- Increase Accountability: Working with third-party measurement platforms ensures greater accountability, as advertisers can verify whether publishers are delivering viewable impressions. This transparency strengthens relationships between advertisers and publishers, fostering trust and better collaboration.
- Refine Ad Strategy: Continuous measurement of viewability helps advertisers fine-tune their strategies over time. By regularly evaluating which campaigns have the highest viewability rates, advertisers can replicate successful elements and refine their approach for future campaigns.
- Align With KPIs: Since viewability is closely tied to key performance indicators like click-through-rate (CTR), conversion rate, and ROI, using measurement tools allows advertisers to optimize campaigns more efficiently. Higher viewability rates typically translate into better engagement and stronger overall results.
By leveraging viewability measurement, advertisers can ensure that their campaigns are not only reaching audiences but also making a tangible impact. This proactive approach drives more meaningful engagement and helps maximize ROI.
Optimize Ad Placement
Ad placement plays a huge role in determining viewability. Ads that are placed above the fold—the portion of a web page that is visible without scrolling—are far more likely to be seen than those placed further down.
Additionally, ad placement on mobile devices needs to account for smaller screen sizes, meaning strategic positioning is even more important for mobile ad viewability.
Choose High-Quality Inventory
To maximize viewability, it’s essential to partner with publishers that prioritize high-quality inventory and offer premium ad placements. Ads positioned in high-traffic areas, such as above-the-fold or embedded within engaging content, tend to deliver better viewability rates. This approach not only improves the chances of ads being seen but also enhances overall campaign performance. By carefully selecting inventory, advertisers can ensure that their ads are in the best position to reach and impact target audiences.
Optimize Ad Formats
The format of your ad plays a critical role in determining its viewability. Formats like sticky ads, which remain visible as users scroll, or in-stream video ads that play within video content, often yield higher viewability rates. By tailoring ad formats to both the platform and the preferences of the target audience, advertisers can increase the likelihood that their ads will not only be seen but also engage users. Experimenting with a variety of formats and placements is key to finding the combination that drives the best results.
Leverage Contextual Targeting
Aligning ads with contextually relevant content can significantly boost viewability rates. Contextual targeting involves placing ads within environments that are directly related to the user’s interests, making them more likely to notice and engage with the content. For example, an ad for athletic gear is more likely to perform well on a fitness blog, where users are already primed for related content. This approach increases not just the chances of the ad being seen, but also the likelihood of user interaction, leading to stronger engagement metrics and higher ROI.
Monitor and Adjust with Timely Reporting
To achieve the highest levels of ad viewability, digital ad campaigns need continuous oversight. Actionable and timely monitoring is crucial for tracking viewability rates, ensuring that ads are actually seen by the intended audience. Key metrics to monitor include time-in-view, which measures how long an ad stays visible on screen, and attention metrics, which indicate user engagement and interaction with the ad. These insights provide a clear picture of whether an ad is achieving its intended impact.
By keeping a close eye on these metrics, advertisers can make immediate adjustments to improve performance. For example, if an ad consistently falls short in one placement, advertisers can quickly reallocate the ad to a different location or platform that offers better visibility. This kind of agility is critical, as it minimizes wasted impressions and maximizes the return on ad spend.
Timely adjustments also allow for optimization of ad formats and creatives based on performance data. If certain formats (like in-stream video or sticky ads) show higher viewability, advertisers can shift more resources toward those formats.
Furthermore, timely monitoring enables dynamic bidding adjustments in programmatic campaigns. If an ad placement is underperforming in terms of viewability, pre-bid viewability targeting segments can be utilized to drive optimal viewability rates and ensure that ad budgets are spent more effectively. By maintaining this level of responsiveness, advertisers can enhance campaign outcomes, ensuring that their ads not only reach but truly engage the target audience.
How IAS Can Help Improve Your Ad Viewability
At IAS, we know that ensuring your ads are seen is just the beginning. Our solutions are designed to enhance your ad’s performance by improving viewability across platforms and environments. Our viewability solutions cover a wide range of environments, including CTV, mobile, in-app, and programmatic, ensuring that your ads appear in high-quality placements that capture attention.
If you’re ready to make your digital ads work harder, IAS is here to help. Get in touch today to learn how our viewability solutions can ensure your ads are not only seen and heard but also drive real action.
