Ad impression discrepancies can significantly impact the effectiveness of digital advertising campaigns. Here are seven strategies to minimize these discrepancies and improve the accuracy of your ad performance metrics.
Synchronize Ad Tags and Tracking Codes
Ensure Consistency Across Platforms
Implement synchronized ad tags and tracking codes for both advertisers and publishers. Regularly audit and update these codes to align with the latest standards, ensuring that all parties are tracking the same events in the same way.
Implement Server-Side Tracking
Enhance Data Accuracy
Utilize server-side tracking to reduce discrepancies arising from client-side issues. This method provides more reliable data collection and helps mitigate problems caused by ad blockers or slow page load times.
Agree on a Specific Time Zone
Eliminate Temporal Discrepancies
Establish a common time zone for analytical reporting between publishers and advertisers. This simple step can significantly reduce discrepancies caused by time-based misalignments in data collection.
Use Consistent Third-Party Platforms
Streamline Data Collection
Ensure that both publishers and advertisers use the same third-party platforms for calculating metrics and audience behaviors. Consistency in tools and methodologies minimizes discrepancies in reporting.
Create Daily Reports
Monitor and Detect Changes Quickly
Implement a system of daily reporting that contains collected data for each day. This practice allows for quick detection of even slight changes and enables close monitoring of ad discrepancies.
Ensure Website Whitelisting
Gain Advertiser Approval
Verify that your website is whitelisted by your advertising partners. Being on an advertiser’s whitelist is crucial for displaying their ads and reducing discrepancies caused by unauthorized ad displays.
Implement Cache Busters
Prevent Caching-Related Discrepancies
Use cache busters to inform browsers when new versions of files are available. This technique prevents users from seeing old versions of ads stored in their browser cache, reducing discrepancies between displayed and counted impressions.
By implementing these strategies, advertisers and publishers can significantly reduce ad impression discrepancies, leading to more accurate reporting and improved campaign performance.