A B C D E F G H I J K L N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A
Ad Exchanger:
This is how the supply side feeds inventory into the ad exchange. The DSP connects to the ad exchange, enabling advertisers, agencies, networks, and publishers to buy and sell ad space. Inventory prices can then be agreed upon through the bidding process.
Addressable Geo-Fencing (AGF):
A type of programmatic advertising that utilizes a list of physical addresses (usually residential) as the audience data, which allows us to target all of the devices within the home or business.
Animation:
A programmatically generated display of sequential images, creating the illusion that objects in the image are moving in an ad unit. This is typically achieved through HTML5 ad creatives. Not digital video, as it relates to this document (see the definition for “Video”).
Audio:
The audible file that may itself be an audio ad or may accompany video ads.
B
Banner:
Also known as “display ads”, banner advertisements are a form of graphical ads embedded into a webpage, typically including a combination of static/animated images, text and/or video designed to convey a marketing message and/or cause the user to take an action. Banner dimensions are typically defined by width and height, represented in pixels.
Between-the-Page – Also Known as Interstitial Ads:
Also known as “interstitial” ads, between-the-page ad units display as a user navigates from one webpage to the next webpage. The ad appears after the user leaves the initial page, but before the target page displays on the user’s screen. Typically, the ad is self-contained within its own browser window, but may also appear briefly as an overlay on the target page rather than in its own browser window.
Bitrate:
The rate of bits processed per unit of time, commonly measured in bits per second (bps), kilobits per second (Kbps), or megabits per second (Mbps). The bitrate is one of the biggest factors in audio or video quality.
C
Caching:
The practice of temporarily storing files on local servers for quick retrieval the next time the file is needed. Cached files supply an old copy that may not be up to date with the file stored at the original source but are often necessary for improving page load performance.
Call To Action (CTA):
Call to Action refers to a targeted prompt or instruction given to the audience, encouraging them to take a specific action like signing up, purchasing a product, or following a link.
Campaign:
The advertising period in which an ad delivery strategy is executed with multiple tactics at a time.
Content Distribution Network (CDN):
An acronym for Content Distribution Network, a CDN is a system of geographically dispersed servers used to provide web content to a browser or other client. Files are strategically pulled from a server on the network based on the location of the user, the requesting server, and the delivery server of the CDN to provide the best delivery performance.
Click:
The number of times the targeted audience interacted with the ad to take an action. Typically this leads to the ad’s website. In the case of touch-screen devices, the user “clicks” by touching the active area with their finger or a stylus.
Click-Thru Rate (CTR):
The % of interactions (Clicks) divided by the number of times the ad appeared – shown as a percentage. Digital ads are typically measured based on click-through rate and conversion rates.
Click-Thru Visits (CTV):
Number of people who clicked on an ad and ended up physically walking through a conversion zone.
Collapse:
An event where the expanded panel of an expandable ad reduces to its original size or disappears completely.
Combined Click Through Rate & View Through Rate (CTR/VTR):
The % of times the targeted audience interacted and was influenced by the ad and ended up on the client’s website.
Compression:
The practice of packaging a digital file so that it uses less storage space.
Connected TV (CTV):
CTV is actually a subset of OTT, and it refers to the device on which you’re accessing that video content. It combines the delivery mechanism with the viewing experience — on the biggest screen in the home. If you watch Hulu on your mobile device, then you’re streaming OTT content. If, however, you watch Hulu through a Roku Stick that’s plugged into your television, then you’re streaming OTT content over CTV.
Controls:
Active elements of an ad that enable a user to control the advertising experience. Examples of common controls include the “Close X” button in an expandable ad or the Play/Pause/Mute buttons in a video player.
Conversion:
An action that’s counted when someone interacts with your ad (for example, clicks a text ad or views a video ad) and then takes an action that you’ve defined as valuable to your business, such as an online purchase or a call to your business from a mobile phone.
Conversion Rate (CVR):
The average number of conversions per ad interaction, shown as a percentage. Conversion rates are calculated by simply taking the number of conversions and dividing that by the number of total ad interactions that can be tracked to a conversion during the same time period.
Conversion Zone (CVZ):
Conversion zones are a powerful means of tracking your online advertising to physical storefront traffic and conversions (meaning those people who physically went to a particular location as a result of seeing your Ads).
Cost Per Action (CPA):
CPA is an online advertising model where advertisers pay a specific amount each time a user takes a specific action, such as completing a purchase or filling out a form.
Cost Per Click (CPC):
CPC is a type of online advertising model where advertisers pay a specific amount each time a user clicks on their advertisement.
Cost Per Lead (CPL):
CPL refers to the cost associated with acquiring a lead or potential customer, usually through marketing and advertising efforts.
Cost Per Mille / Cost Per Thousand (CPM):
CPM stands for Cost Per Mille (Cost Per Thousand Impressions). It is a pricing model commonly used in advertising where advertisers pay a fixed amount for every thousand impressions their advertisement receives.
Creative:
An advertising unit created by an ad designer, in accordance with publisher specifications and guidelines, for the purpose of communicating a marketing message to that publisher’s audience. One creative may consist of multiple files in various formats, such as standard images, animation, video, execution files (.html, .js, etc.) and other files that work together for an interactive experience.
Creative Dimensions:
Measured in pixels, the width and height of an ad unit (WxH). The width is always the first dimension listed, followed by the height dimension (i.e. an ad that is 300×250 is 300 pixels wide by 250 pixels high).
D
Demand-Side-Platform (DSP):
This is software that enables agencies and advertisers to buy ad inventory cross-platform.
Designated Market Area (DMA):
A DMA is a geographical region used by advertisers and broadcasters to determine the potential audience reach for television and radio broadcasts.
Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH):
DOOH refers to digital advertising displayed in public locations, such as digital billboards, digital signage, or interactive kiosks.
E
Effective Cost Per Mille (eCPM):
eCPM is a metric used in advertising to calculate the effective revenue generated per thousand impressions, taking into account different pricing models.
Expanded Dimensions:
The secondary dimensions of an expanding ad unit (after the ad is expanded). Initial dimensions are fit to the dimensions of the placement. Then, either by auto-play or by user interaction, the ad unit expands to its secondary dimension.
F
Facebook Advertising:
Facebook ads are advertising messages that businesses place on Facebook. This gives you the flexibility to reach users where they spend time online. Ads often appear in the user’s newsfeed as “sponsored”. Plus, you can reach the people who matter most to you through unique targeting capabilities.
File Requests:
In the context of displaying digital content, the browser loads code that contains instructions about where to retrieve files such as text, images, videos, and any other components that contribute to the display experience. Each time the browser must retrieve content from another server, a file request is made. Too many file request may reduce page load performance.
Frames Per Second (FPS):
Frames Per Second is the metric used to indicate the frame rate of animated or video creative content.
Frame Rate:
The rate at which video frames or animated images display as the video or animated file executes, measured as the number of frames per second (fps).
Full-Time Employee (FTE):
FTE is a measure used to indicate the work hours or workload of one full-time employee.
G
Google Ad Manager (GAM):
Google Ad Manager is an ad exchange platform introduced by Google on June 27, 2018. It combines the features of two former services from Google’s DoubleClick subsidiary, DoubleClick for Publishers and DoubleClick Ad Exchange.
Geo-Fencing:
The use of GPS or RFID technology to create a virtual geographic boundary, enabling programmatic and digital display ad platforms to trigger an ad when a device enters that area, or a tracking response when a mobile device enters or leaves a particular area. Commercial locations are usually geo-fenced in ad campaigns, rather than households.
Google Paid Search:
Also known as Google Ads, Google Ads Paid Search is an online advertising platform developed by Google, where advertisers bid to display brief advertisements, service offerings, product listings, or videos to web users. It can place ads both in the results of search engines like Google Search and on non-search websites, mobile apps, and videos.
Google Tag Manager (GTM):
Google Tag Manager is a free tool provided by Google that allows website owners to manage and deploy various tracking codes or tags for analytics, advertising, and other purposes, without modifying the website’s code directly.
H
Host-Initiated:
Any activity that is auto-initiated.
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML5):
An acronym for Hypertext Markup Language, version 5. HTML5 extends earlier versions to include tags for processing video, audio, canvas, an other embedded audio and video items without requiring proprietary plug-ins and APIs. HTML5 has been used as an alternative to developing and executing interactions similar to those using Adobe Flash but with very different technology.
I
Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB):
The Interactive Advertising Bureau is an American advertising business organization that develops industry standards, conducts research, and provides legal support for the online advertising industry.
Impressions:
The number of times the ad appeared to the targeted audience. Technically speaking, an impression is when an ad is fetched from its source and is countable. Whether the ad is clicked is not taken into account. Each time an ad is fetched, it is counted as one impression. In advertising campaigns, ads can be sold on an impression basis, which accounts for ads in the thousands. Ads are priced in a CPM basis, or cost per thousand.
Interest-Based Advertising (IBA):
Interest-based advertising — which is also called “behavioral targeting”, “audience targeting”, and “programmatic” — uses information gathered about a site user’s visits over time and across different websites or applications in order to help predict preferences and show ads that are more likely to be of interest to you. For example, a sporting goods manufacturer might work with an advertising network that collects and uses interest-based advertising information to deliver ads to the browsers of users that have recently visited sports-related sites, or an airline might direct ads to users that recently visited mobile travel apps. Definition from aboutads.info site: http://www.aboutads.info/how-interest-based-ads-work
In-Banner Video:
A video delivered as part of (inside of) the display ad creative for a given placement rather than initiating the use of a video player.
Initial Dimension:
The original width and height (in pixels) of an expanding ad. Expanding ads are designed to expand to dimensions larger than the initial dimensions.
Initial File Load:
Includes all assets and files necessary (.html, .js, .css, .woff, images, ets.) for completing first visual display of the Ad. The initial file load size of an ad is limited in order to preserve the page load performance and thus the user’s web browsing experience. For non-rich media ads, the initial file load size limit is all that’s allowed for the ad.
Interstitial:
See “Between-the-Page”
J
JavaScript Libraries:
A collection of pre-written code used to simplify development of web-based applications.
K
Kilobyte (KB):
A multiple of the unit ‘byte’ for digital information, used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to a 1,000 bytes (or technically, 2^10 = 1,024 bytes). For the purposes of this document, this measure relates to creative file size.
L
Labeling Requirements:
The minimal requirements for distinguishing an online advertisement from regular webpage content.
M
Megabyte (MB):
A multiple of the unit ‘byte’ for digital information, used to quantify computer memory or storage capacity equal to 1,000 kilobytes (or technically, 2^20 = 1,048,576 bytes). For the purposes of this document, this measure relates to creative file size.
Minification:
The practice of removing unnecessary characters from code to reduce its size, removing unnecessary spacing, and optimizing the CSS code; thus improving load times.
Mouse-over:
The act of a user moving the cursor and resting it on the hot spot of an ad for at least one second. Mouse-over may trigger an event such as expanding the ad or initiating an animated sequence within the ad. Mouse-over may NOT initiate audio play.
MP4:
A digital multimedia format used to store video and audio, but may also include features such as subtitles, chapter details, and other data related to the video or audio file. The filename extension for MPEG-4 files is .mp4.
N
Native Advertising:
Ad creative types that are formatted with text and image and take on a look that matches the publisher site on which the ad is being delivered.
O
Over-the-Top (OTT):
OTT refers to the delivery mechanism for video content, where content is delivered “over the top” instead of through a cable or satellite connection. OTT content can be viewed on a mobile, desktop, or connected device. See also CTV.
P
Pause:
A video, animation or audio control that enables users to stop the video, animation, or audio from playing until the user is ready to resume play.
Pay-Per-Click (PPC):
Pay-per-click is an online advertising model where advertisers pay a specific amount each time their advertisement is clicked.
Pay-Per-View (PPV):
PPV is a model used in television and online streaming where viewers pay a fee to access specific content or events.
Pixel (as a unit of measure):
The smallest unit of measure for graphical elements in digital imagery, used as the standard unit of measure for ad creative (i.e. 300×250 pixels). Pixels may also represent x/y coordinates relevant to a given space, such as the browser window, an application workspace or the user’s computer screen. See also “Tracking Pixel”
Pixel Density:
The number of pixels displayed on the screen within an inch (pixels per inch or PPI) or within a centimeter (pixels per centimeter or PPCM). Screen pixel density varies by device with older monitors displaying 67 – 130 PPI. Mobile devices often exceed that at 300+ PPI. Pixel density of 163 PPI is referred to as pixel density of 1 in this document.
Play:
A video, animation or audio control that enables a user to initiate (or avoid initiating) the video, animation or audio of an ad.
Polite File Load:
Withholding a portion of the total ad creative file size (besides any initial file load size) from loading on a page until publisher content has loaded. With the release of the Display Creative Guidelines in 2015, polite file load has been replaced “Host-initiated subload.”
Pop-Up Ad:
advertising experience where visiting a website in an initial browser window initiates a secondary browser window to deliver an ad impression directly above the initial browser window.
Private Marketplace (PMP):
These are similar to open auctions, but PMPs have restrictions on who can participate. Only selected advertisers have access to PMPs on an invite-only basis. However, in some cases publishers may have a selection process that allows advertisers to apply for an invitation.
Pre-Roll Video (also known as Programmatic Video and Programmatic Pre-Roll):
Video ads that play before, during, or after the video a targeted user wants to watch.
Programmatic Advertising:
Programmatic advertising is the use of automated technology for media buying (the process of buying advertising space), as opposed to traditional (often manual) methods of digital advertising. Programmatic advertising is typically purchased on a DSP (Demand Site Platform) and runs as a budget-based buy rather than a guaranteed impression buy based on a real-time auction-style bidding model. Types of programmatic advertising include standard demo or interest, lifestyle, or behavior-based audience targeted display, content targeting, site targeting, geo-fencing, addressable geo-fencing, IP targeting, website remarketing/retargeting, native, programmatic streaming – such as programmatic audio, programmatic video / video pre-roll, and CTV and OTT.
Programmatic Direct:
This is when a publisher bypasses auctions, selling media inventory at a fixed cost per mille (CPM) to an advertiser (or multiple advertisers).
Progress Bar:
A video or animation control that shows users the progression of the video or animation in relation to its total duration.
Progressive Load Video:
A distribution method for serving video files in which the video file downloads progressively into the cache of a user’s computer, much the same way images and other content elements are downloaded. HTML5 files use progressive download for video files, but streaming methods can be simulated using adaptive bit streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH.
Q
R
Real-Time Bidding (RTB):
Also known as open auction, RTB is when inventory prices are decided through an auction in real time. As the name suggests, this is open to any advertiser or publisher. RTB is considered to be a cost-effective way to buy media with a large audience.
Resolution:
The quality of an image or video file often determined by the number of pixels displayed on the screen and usually annoted as a pixel width and height dimension. However, resolution can be measured in a number of ways and takes into account pixel aspect ratio, pixel density, and other factors that determine the viewing quality of the file.
Retargeting (also known as website retargeting and website remarketing):
Pixel-based advertising which reminds your website visitors of your products and services after they leave your website without buying. After visiting specific pages, it allows you to retarget them and show your visitors relevant visual or text ads when they visit other websites. A best practice is to limit the geography to the U.S.
Retraction:
An event programmed into an expandable ad the causes the ad to be reduced to its original dimensions (i.e. the expanded portion of the ad retracts).
Return on Investment (ROI):
ROI is a metric that measures the profitability of an investment by comparing the gain or return generated to the cost of the investment.
Rising Star Display Ad Units:
IAB invited companies and individuals to submit ad templates designed to drive brand equity. Six templates were chosen to be validated by the market. Rising Star Display Ad Units are designed to be the only ad on a page. Their file load limits are larger than for other ads, so not only would a Rising Star Ad Unit overshadow any other ads on the page but they would also compromise the performance of the page should other rich media ads be allowed to load simultaneously.
Rollover:
The willful pause of the user’s cursor on the target portion of the creative (the “hot spot”), such pause lasting at least one second in duration, before an action may be initiated by the ad (i.e. trigger an expand event, etc.). This one-second pause/delay requirement prevents unwanted, user-initiated actions and false reporting of user engagement. Rollover may NOT initiate audio.
Run of Network (RON):
RON refers to online advertising campaigns where ads are placed across a network of websites without targeting specific audience segments.
Run of Site (ROS):
ROS refers to online advertising campaigns where ads are placed on various sections or pages of a website without specific targeting.
S
Sales Performance Index (SPI):
SPI is a metric used to assess the performance of sales teams or individuals, usually calculated based on revenue generation, customer acquisition, and other key performance indicators.
Search Engine Marketing (SEM) also referred to as Paid Search:
SEM involves promoting websites and increasing visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs) through paid advertising methods.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO):
SEO is the practice of improving a website’s visibility and rankings in search engine results organically, through techniques like keyword optimization, backlink building, and content creation.
Search Engine Results Page (SERP):
SERP is the page displayed by a search engine after a user submits a search query, listing the relevant websites and content.
Sell-Side Platform (SSP):
This is software that allows publishers to sell display, mobile and video ad impressions to potential buyers automatically in real time. This includes ad exchanges, networks and DSPs (see below). This gives publishers greater control of their inventory and CPMs.
Shared Libraries:
In digital advertising, shared libraries are collections of pre-written code and resources that are used for implementing features and functions for an HTML5 ad. Instances of such resources that are downloaded to the browser from a specific server, like a CDN, are cached on the browser. Once cached, shared libraries can be shared with other ads that reference the library and the host server.
Skyscraper:
A standard ad unit with dimensions of 160×600 pixels.
Standard Ad Units:
A set of ad specifications for standard image or animated in-page ad units that establish a framework for advertising inventory and webpage design. The most common standard display ad sizes include 300×250, 728×90, 300×600, 320×50, 300×50, 728×250, and 160×600. The most effective sizes include 300×250, 300×600, 728×250, and 320×50.
Streaming Video:
A distribution method for serving video files such that the video is played over a persistent connection between the browser and the ad server. Versions of the file at different levels of compression (quality) can be served based on the detection of the user’s Internet bandwidth. HTML5 files cannot be streamed and rely on adaptive bitrate streaming technologies such as HLS and MPEG-DASH.
Submission Lead Time:
The number of business days (non-weekend/non-holiday days) prior to a campaign going live in which a publisher needs to validate advertiser submitted creative(s) for a campaign.
Supporting Files:
In the context of HTML file loads, supporting files are files that the browser needs to reference in order to execute display of file contents and any interactions. Examples of supporting files include JavaScript libraries, font libraries, CSS files, and others.
T
Targeted Display:
See “Programmatic”
Tracking Pixel / Tracking Script:
A 1×1 pixel-sized transparent image or script that provides information about an ad’s placement. In many cases, a tracking pixel is used to notify an ad tracking system that either an ad has been served (or not served, in some cases) or that a specific webpage has been accessed. Also known as: beacon, web beacon, action tag, redirect, etc.
U
Unique Selling Proposition (USP):
USP refers to the unique aspect or feature of a product or service that sets it apart from competitors and gives it a competitive advantage.
User:
A person who uses a web browser to access Internet web content.
User Initiation:
The willful act of a user to engage with an ad. Users may interact by clicking on the ad, and/or rolling over an ad (or a portion of an ad). When a user engages the ad using a rollover action, the user’s cursor must rest on the hotspot for at least one second before any action may be initiated in the ad. See the definition for rollover for more information.
V
Video (aka “Digital Video”):
In online advertising, the digital recording of a physical event or animated files that have been transcribed into a digital video format.
View-Thru Visits (VTV) / View Throughs / View Through Conversion (VTC):
View-through visits represent the number of people who did NOT click on the digital display, ad but ended up walking through a conversion zone (physically) or visiting the website. In a campaign with foot-fall attribution tracking, visits are tracked as physical visits.
Volume:
A control that enables users to adjust the audio output of ad creative. Volume controls should always allow adjustment down to zero (0) output.
W
Weighted Actions:
A combination of Click Thru Other, View Thru Other, Click Thru Visits, View Thru Visits when measuring a digital ad campaign.
X
Y
YouTube Skippable:
YouTube Skippable Videos consist of Google’s proprietary cost-per-view, choice-based ad format that serves on YouTube, millions of apps, and across the web. YouTube skippable ads gives advertisers more value because they only have to pay for actual views of their ads, rather than impressions. Viewers can choose to skip the video ad after 5 seconds.
Z
Z-Index:
Enumerated layers of elements and content on a publisher’s webpage. Consideration of the z-element in page content design such as navigation, imagery, and ads is important for providing a seamless experience when page content overlaps (i.e. an expanding ad with a z-index that is lower [on the z-index scale] than navigational elements may give the appearance that page navigational elements are showing through the expanded portions of the ad).