The Complete Ad Viewability Resource Center

The IAB and the MRC’s qualifications help standardize viewability in the digital advertising industry. 

There are a lot of variables across formats and devices, but the standards remain the same for mobile and desktop publishing. That being said, the viewability standard differs for video and display ads because the environments for each format vary so drastically.

Here’s a rundown —

• Standard display ads: must be 50% visible on the screen for a minimum of one second.
  
• Large display ads: any display ad larger than 242,500 pixels must be 30% visible for a minimum of one second.
  
• Video ads: the video frame must be 50% visible and the video must play for a minimum of two seconds.
  

That’s it. Viewability doesn’t indicate whether a visitor will see the ad for longer than a second or two. It’s only meant to predict the likelihood that the ad will be seen at all. Everything else — engagement rate, CTR, watch time — is up to the strength and success of the creative.

When talking about viewability, there are quite a few terms that you should know including —

1. Ad calls/ad requests: the term for each time an ad is shown on a site during an active session. An ad call or request doesn’t necessarily mean an ad will be viewed by a visitor, but that it will be displayed for potential viewing.
2. Average viewable CPM: the average amount you pay for one thousand viewable impressions. This rate doesn’t factor in impressions that weren’t viewed, so it can provide insights that help you understand the price of your viewable impressions.
3. Measurable cost: the entire cost of all impressions measured. Use this metric to gauge how much was spent on your measurable impressions.
4. Measurable impressions: the number of ads served that your reporting tool was able to measure. Most, but not all, ads served are measurable by all reporting tools. Impressions that were unable to be measured are known as non-measurable impressions.
5. Measurable rate: a calculation of measurable impressions and total impressions that demonstrates the rate at which your impressions were accessible to your reporting tool.
6. Viewable CTR: a measurement of visitors who clicked a viewable ad.
7. Viewable impression: an ad served that met the minimum standards to be considered viewable.
8. Viewable impression distribution: a metric that demonstrates the percentage of both measurable and non-measurable impressions that qualified as viewable.
9. Viewability rate: the rate at which your impressions qualify as viewable.

When optimized correctly, and under the right circumstances, viewability has the power to skyrocket your revenue in two main ways —

• By unlocking more demand and increasing your fill rate
• By increasing the value of your inventory