Measuring online advertising success: viewability, attention and brand outcomes
The story so far
Measuring the success of digital campaigns used to be mostly about Viewability. Viewability is a measure of the opportunity for an ad to be seen, or how it is presented on a screen. Not whether anyone actually saw it. The prominence of this metric has over-valued the placement of ads on websites.
Now, driven by 3rd party cookie restrictions, and innovative techniques and formal research, ‘Attention’ insights and metrics are taking the lead. Attention is about how a consumer responds to the ad on the screen, utilizing biometric data such as eye-tracking metrics.
Attention correlates with digital success
“At its most basic, attention can be defined as concentrated awareness towards a reduced number of stimuli in our environment, while ignoring other stimuli,” as Professor Karen Nelson-Field, a leader in attention research, defines it.
In a landmark global meta-analysis of combined third-party attention and brand lift metrics, the authors found “Attention is an important driver of brand success, as a strong correlation exists between attention and positive brand outcomes. The longer people engage with ads, the more impactful the results become.”
For upper-funnel metrics like awareness, this analysis shows ads need between 100ms and a second to have an impact from a single exposure. However, the attentive time needed to achieve mid/lower-funnel metrics from a single exposure, increases quickly:
Familiarity: 1s+
Favorability: 3s+
Consideration: 9s+
Purchase intent: 8s+
Attention varies by digital environment
Research from Karen Nelson-Field shows that a video ad on one platform can capture attention and be a distraction on another. According to Professor Nelson-Field, this is because of ‘Attention Elasticity’– the attention opportunity for ad creative possible on a particular platform or format (expressed in a range of Attentive Seconds).
For example, scrollable formats are less elastic, the range of attention they offer is not as great. Others, with less distracting features, are more elastic and the outer range of attention they offer is greater.
‘Stream’ platforms, which are generally more laid-back, lead the way in terms of overall attention. ‘Feed’ platforms based on social connection, whilst engaging, sit at the other end of the attention spectrum.
In terms of Attentive Seconds, in-game mobile video ads have shown ‘astonishing levels of attention’ in recent research, capturing and keeping attention through the ad into the end card.
The metric to watch
Understanding specific attention metrics in particular digital environments can help marketers, strategists and creatives better understand the impact of their work and tell their brand story more consistently.
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