New Online Audit Standard

In the UK, online measurement standards body ABCe has launched a new initiative to provide greater transparency in ratings. Media owners taking its web traffic audit, based on site-centric transactional data, can now add demographic, lifestyle and media data via a validated on-site survey.

JICWEBS (the Joint Industry Committee for Web Standards) has approved the open standards of the methodology for industry-wide use, and says the questionnaire is comparable with established tools and practices such as JICPOPS and IPA TouchPoints. ABCe says successful pilots have been conducted with research consultancy Survey Interactive, which has joined the ABCe Associate Subscriber Scheme and will be the first research company to offer the service to publishers.

Richard Foan, MD of ABCe, says the move 'represents a significant shift for many media owners with vertical, niche and specialist properties, who, until now, have been off the radar of sample-based research.' Survey Interactive MD Guy Lipscombe comments: 'The initiative with ABCe and backed by JICWEBS takes measurement of the internet to the next level where transaction data is put into context with visitor profiling information.'

Lynne Robinson, Research Director of IPA, says her organisation welcomes the move, adding: 'The harmonisation with IPA TouchPoints will allow these data to be linked to give a wider, multimedia perspective.'

ABC is a non-profit distributing organisation owned by the media industry, tasked with promoting trust by providing robust currencies on which to trade media in the UK and Ireland, and governed by a Council of permanent and elected representatives including media owners, media buyers, advertisers and representatives from industry trade bodies. ABC was first established in the UK in 1931, and ABCe in 1996.

Web sites: www.jicwebs.org , www.ifabc.org , www.abc.org.uk , www.abce.org.uk , www.ipa.co.uk and www.surveyinteractive.co.uk .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.

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