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Month's Features: Verified Would Like to Welcome... Mobile Metrics Newspapers First Ad Rep Firm To Close Events Calendar New Privacy Guidelines Would Be More Strict Than Self-Regulatory Standards Tips & Techniques: Where to Get A Copy of Verified's Audit Guidelines |
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![]() Verified Would Like to Welcome...
![]() Mobile Metrics
Traditional web analytics, such as Omniture and Google Analytics, don't work well for measuring mobile. While these analytics tools rely on JavaScript tags, mobile browsers do not reliably support JavaScript. Cookies, another measurement method, is problematic because most phones don't store cookies and those that do, will often delete them when the phone is turned off or the browser session ends. Measuring mobile is not easy because of the diversity of technologies involved, and the rapid development of the industry has created a myriad of devices, communication protocols and requirements. However, mobile can provide a wealth of information for publishers and advertisers. The types of statistics that can be provided include:
According to the Pew Internet and American Life Project, an overwhelming majority of Americans (92%) use multiple platforms to get news on a typical day, and 26% of all Americans say they get some form of news via cell phone. The research firm IDC estimates that 40% of all Internet users worldwide have mobile Internet access. A new report from Borrell Associates predicts that mobile advertising and marketing will grow to become a $57 billion market in the U.S. by 2014, representing a cumulative annual growth rate of 84% over the next four years. ![]() Newspapers First Ad Rep Firm To Close
The firm represents newspapers with a total audience of 21 million during the week and 29 million on Sundays, covering the top 125 DMAs, including The Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Miami Herald, Detroit Free Press & News, Cincinnati Enquirer, Houston Chronicle, Phoenix Republic, and Denver Post. Newspapers First offered advertisers customized, geotargeted campaigns, taking advantage of just-in-time delivery to execute ad placements in contextually relevant editorial environments. It specialized in targeting lifestyle segments and niche demographics, as well as database marketing, product sampling and online advertising. (Newspapers First reached an aggregate Web audience generating more than 1 billion page views per month.) Created by a consortium of newspaper publishers, which came together to combine their national sales forces over a number of decades, Newspapers First can be viewed as a bellwether for falling national print ad demand. Last July, the company downsized its staff by almost half, according to Editor & Publisher. CEO Bob Termotto said the decision to close the company was prompted by the adverse business environment, adding that the newspaper business "needs a new direction," especially in "how they're going to handle national advertising." According to the Newspaper Association of America, total national advertising spending has plunged 46% from a peak of $8.1 billion in 2004 to just $4.4 billion in 2009. The last ad spending forecasts from Magna have total newspaper ad revenues continuing to decline through 2015. © MediaPost Communications 2010 ![]() Events Calendar
Tri-State
Press Convention, Retail
Marketplace 2010 Conference The
Magazine Mobile Imperative Association
of Alternative Newsweeklies Annual
Convention West
Texas Press Association 80th Annual
Convention Oregon
Newspaper Publishers Association Summer
Conference Native
American Journalists Association Independent
Free Papers of America Revenue Summit If
you have an event that you would like
to announce, please send your information ![]() New Privacy Guidelines Would Be More Strict Than Self-Regulatory Standards
The draft bill would require Web publishers, advertisers and other companies that collect data about people to notify them about the practice and obtain their consent. The proposal also would require that publishers that collect data in order to serve ads on their own sites allow consumers to opt out of the targeting. Ad networks that track users across a variety of sites would have to obtain users' opt-in consent, unless the networks allow people to access and revise their profiles. Some companies that serve targeted ads, like Google, Yahoo and BlueKai, already have this feature. The bill also would include provisions requiring mobile phone users' consent before their location is shared. Some portions of the proposal appear particularly controversial. For instance, any requirements that publishers or other "first-parties" allow opt-outs of targeted ads on their own sites mark a departure from current self-regulatory standards as well as the Federal Trade Commission's guidelines. Mike Zaneis, vice president of public policy for the Interactive Advertising Bureau, said the organization hopes that any proposals "would recognized a strong first-party carve out from behavioral advertising restrictions, just as the FTC's own principles and the cross-industry principles do." He adds that the IAB hopes that any proposal "will not be overly proscriptive, but rather allow industry the flexibility to innovate and discover new and more effective ways of providing consumer notice." In general, industry guidelines and the FTC say that web companies that track people as they surf the web in order to serve them targeted ads should tell consumers about the practice and allow them to opt out. Tracking people within a single site for ad-serving purposes isn't usually seen as raising the same kinds of privacy concerns as tracking them across different sites. Privacy advocates also likely won't be satisfied with the bill. Jeff Chester, Executive Director of the Center for Digital Democracy, criticized it for appearing to endorse the same basic notification and opt-out framework as current self-regulatory standards. "The notice-and-choice model doesn't work," Chester says. Chester's group–along with 10 other organizations including the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Consumers Union and the World Privacy Forum—sent a letter to Congress on Monday urging it to enact sweeping online privacy protections. Among other proposals, the groups say that websites and ad networks should only be able to use data about consumers for 24 hours after collection unless they obtain users' opt-in consent. © MediaPost Communications 2010 (with additional information from Ad Law Access) ![]() Tips & Techniques: Verified Contacts
You will be interacting with these contacts during the auditing process. Names and phone numbers of these contacts are available on our website at www.verifiedaudit.com. Accounting: Our accounting department is your primary contact for any inquiries regarding your account balance, charge or credit transactions, invoices and other financial questions. Sales: Our sales department provides general information about the auditing process, audit fees and audit agreement. They can also provide you with information about additional Verified services such as website audits, reader surveys and distribution verification. Audit Manager: The audit manager provides information and education to our clients. They handle questions about audit guidelines and Verified's policies. Audit managers conduct audit scheduling, manage field auditors and provide audit findings. Account Coordinator: The account coordinators provide general client services. They conduct training on our systems, are available for questions and serve as a liaison between the publisher and the other Verified staff. Auditors: The auditors are responsible for conducting the audit itself. During the audit, they will request documentation, review materials and discuss any problems or corrections necessary. They will also offer tips on improving your record keeping and making the audit more efficient. Our auditors are an invaluable resource. If you have any questions about who to contact at Verified, please call us at 415-461-6006.
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