Amid Expanding Vocabularies and Shifting Approaches, OOH Measurement Needs Quality Definitions and Alignment
By Dylan Mabin, President, Geopath

As media measurement has evolved in the Out of Home industry, so has the metrics, terms, and definitions that agencies and media owners use to help advertisers quantify the impact they can expect from OOH campaigns.

Marketing campaigns in OOH are measured using a diverse set of metrics and varying methodologies. The success of some campaigns is based on ‘outcomes’ while others are gauged against ‘performance.’

The changing nature of how media distribution and consumption are defined is a perfect example of the evolution of media measurement. Whereas the term ‘impression’ once meant one thing across the advertising industry, today it has multiple meanings – some use ‘viewable’ impressions while others might use ‘served’ or ‘audience’ to qualify the metric. Much of this evolution can be attributed to the expanding media types now available. Mobile, search, and streaming media didn’t exist when the term ‘impression’ was first used decades ago.

When similar terms are used to define different metrics, ambiguity and misalignment arise. The absence of cross-media industry standards, best practices, and quality definitions negatively impacts measurement accuracy and leads to mismanaged expectations. It also poses a challenge in showcasing the true value and impact of OOH media.

To date, notable efforts have been made to identify new and better ways to measure the impact of OOH campaigns and establish conformity around definitions and standards. For us at Geopath, it’s not about passing judgment as to which metrics are best or establishing a de facto approach for measuring campaign success. It’s about ensuring there is a full understanding of the metrics used and clear definitions of terms.

Given the expanding volume of measurement terminology, the OOH industry must be specific in defining the metrics they are using to measure the impact of a campaign. Whether it’s audience or outcome, buyers and sellers must communicate which media metric they are using in unambiguous terms. This need will only become more pronounced as OOH is integrated into omni-channel buying and planning platforms with increased frequency. Properly defining measurement metrics will ensure OOH is accurately represented and will support efforts to strategically integrate OOH into cross-media planning.

It’s never been more important to have clarity and standardization in OOH measurement. With so many terms that sound familiar, it’s critical to be explicit in identifying the source and vintage of a metric.

As the organization with the critical responsibility for audience measurement in the OOH industry, we are ready to provide education and advocate for alignment around best practices and quality definitions. We encourage all members, and anyone working within the OOH ecosystem, to utilize our resources, take advantage of our materials, and engage with us to increase familiarity and education around media measurement. We expect this will continue to be a prominent topic of discussion across our industry as we move ahead.