UK Ad Viewability Hits 18-month High

Viewability-eye.jpg54 per cent of digital ads served in the UK during Q1 2016 were viewable, according to Meetrics.

Thats an increase of four per cent quarter-on-quarter, and the highest viewability rate since Q3 2015, suggesting that the problem is gradually getting better.

But viewability rates are still hovering around the half-way mark – and the UK is still some way behind other countires in Europe. Viewability rates for the same period stood at 66 per cent in France, 65 peer cent in Austria, and 60 per cent in Germany.

“Viewability is rising due to two main factors,” said Anant Joshi, Meetrics’ director of international business. “As the whole ad verification topic gets more publicity, it gains prominence in marketing departments, consequently, more campaigns are being optimised against viewability figures. Furthermore, the issue of low-viewable inventory in programmatic is being addressed.

“However, there’s still a long way to go – the IAB’s new ad spend figures suggest the 46 per cent of banner ads not viewable means over £600m wasted annually.”

The figures are based on the IAB and Media Council standard, which requires a minumum of 50 per cent of the ad to be in view for at least one second.

The most common reasons for an ad to be non-viewable are that it doesnt meet this one second requirement (15.1 per cent) or simply that the user doesnt scroll down to see it, meaning it remains under the fold (12.8 per cent).