Challenging 100% Viewability

*Please note all views expressed on my LinkedIn articles are my own

If I had a penny for every time I've been asked 'Why don't we aim for 100% viewability?' I'd be retired by now. Don't get me wrong - I get it, why have a campaign KPI if you're not aiming to achieve the best performance possible in that KPI? In the world of online advertising, viewability has become a key metric for measuring campaign success. The logic is simple: if an ad isn’t seen, it can’t deliver value. But as with many well-intentioned standards, the push for 100% viewability may lead marketers down an unproductive path. In fact, an unwavering focus on achieving perfect viewability can sometimes harm campaign performance.

Here’s why:

Viewability vs. Effectiveness

While ensuring that ads are viewable is crucial, viewability alone doesn’t guarantee engagement or effectiveness. The industry’s drive toward 100% viewability often prioritizes quantity over quality, which can compromise a campaign’s true goals.

High viewability often comes at the expense of other critical factors, such as audience relevance, context, and cost-efficiency. Ads may be placed in premium, high-viewability environments but if those environments don’t align with the brand’s target audience or messaging strategy, their impact may be negligible.

The Hidden Costs of Chasing Perfection

Achieving 100% viewability is rarely a cost-neutral endeavor. Premium placements that guarantee maximum exposure often come with inflated price tags. This means fewer impressions and a reduced share of voice for the same budget. In some cases, a hyper-focus on viewability may lead to over-investment in inventory that looks great on paper but doesn’t resonate with the right consumers.

Moreover, the pursuit of 100% viewability can encourage advertisers to limit their inventory options, excluding channels and formats that could otherwise deliver meaningful engagement.

Embracing a Balanced Approach

So, what’s the alternative? Instead of striving for an arbitrary benchmark like 100% viewability, advertisers should adopt a more nuanced strategy. This involves:

1. Defining Clear Objectives: Align viewability goals with broader KPIs, such as brand awareness, consideration, or conversions. Not all campaigns require the same level of viewability to succeed.
2. Optimizing for Context: Focus on placements that deliver relevant, high-quality impressions. A slightly lower viewability score in a highly targeted context may yield better outcomes than a perfect score in a less relevant environment.
3. Leveraging Data: Use advanced analytics to measure the actual impact of viewable impressions on campaign performance. Correlating viewability with downstream metrics can help identify the optimal balance.
4. Testing and Learning: Experiment with different viewability thresholds to understand diminishing returns. For many campaigns, a viewability rate of 70-80% strikes a healthy balance between cost and performance.

Reframing the Conversation

Rather than asking, “How can we achieve 100% viewability?” marketers should ask, “What level of viewability drives the best outcomes for our campaign?” By shifting the focus from perfection to performance, advertisers can make smarter decisions, deliver greater value, and ultimately achieve better results.

In an industry where metrics often drive behavior, it’s essential to challenge assumptions and look beyond the surface. By adopting a balanced and strategic approach to viewability, we can ensure that every ad dollar is spent wisely, not just visibly.