Ad verification: what an independent verifier checks
Independent ad verification checks whether the impressions you paid for were delivered, whether the traffic was invalid, whether the ads had an opportunity to be seen, and where they appeared. An independent verifier does not sell impressions itself. It collects campaign data through its own measurement tags and identifies invalid traffic separately from the platform. The advertiser gets an independent measurement report to compare with the platform’s reports.
- 14:02:17.482news•••.comWebUS · New YorkCLEAN
- 14:02:17.391app · Movies•••In-appUS · ChicagoCLEAN
- 14:02:17.305prem1um•••.comdomain spoofingWebUS · Los AngelesSIVT
- 14:02:17.244Smart TV · Streaming•••Smart TVGB · LondonCLEAN
- 14:02:17.160sport•••.combot · automated trafficWebdata center · NLGIVT
What exactly does a verifier check?
Common checks include the following; the available metrics vary by provider and integration.
| Question | What the verifier measures |
|---|---|
| Was the impression delivered? | impressions counted once the ad has loaded and begun to render |
| Was invalid traffic detected? | the share of invalid traffic (IVT), split into general invalid traffic (GIVT) and sophisticated invalid traffic (SIVT) |
| Did the ad have a chance to be seen? | viewability rate: the share of measurable impressions that met the pixel and time thresholds |
| Did the ad run where it was supposed to? | the domains, apps and placements where the impressions ran |
| Where and on which devices did the impressions run? | country and city, device, OS, environment, and impression frequency where users or devices can be identified |
| How much of the video played? | video completion rate and playback milestones at 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% |
| Which actions were attributed to the ads? | clicks and attributed conversions, including post-view (view-through) conversions with no click, where supported |
The terms are defined in the glossary.
How is verification different from the ad platform’s report?
An ad platform reports on the impressions it has sold. That does not mean its numbers are wrong, but they cannot be checked from inside its own report.
| Ad platform report | Independent verifier | |
|---|---|---|
| Who measures | the party that sells the impressions | a third party that does not earn from selling impressions |
| Invalid traffic | filtered by the platform’s own rules | reported separately, split into GIVT and SIVT |
| Coverage | its own inventory only | all platforms where its measurement is set up, in one report, by one methodology |
| What to compare with | independent measurement, where it is set up | each platform’s report |
What happens when platforms report on their own delivery is shown on our homepage.
Why must a verifier be independent?
If the party doing the checking also sells inventory or traffic, it has an interest in how the numbers look. That is why, in a discussion with a platform, data from a party that earns neither from impressions nor from buying them is easier to rely on. Before choosing a verifier, ask whether it sells ads or traffic, whether it has its own inventory or demand-side platform (DSP), and whether the data is in a dashboard or only available on request. What AdMetr’s independence rests on is described on our homepage.
How does a verifier get its data?
A verifier receives events from its own code, which fires together with the ad. The available metrics depend on the integration.
- Pixel. Records the impression and its environment: domain or app, device, OS, browser, geo by IP. Depending on the implementation, a pixel can support impression counting and some GIVT checks.
- JavaScript tag or creative wrapper. Measures what happens to the ad on screen: viewability, video events, interactions.
- SDK in apps. In mobile apps, viewability is measured through a software development kit (SDK). With the IAB Tech Lab Open Measurement SDK, an app sends measurement signals once and the tags of participating measurement providers collect them, so one integration replaces separate SDKs for each verification provider.
How this works in AdMetr is shown in the integration section.
Which standards does verification follow?
Widely used measurement standards include those of the US Media Rating Council (MRC): the viewable impression guidelines of 2014 and the invalid traffic standard, updated in June 2020. Under the 2014 guidelines, a display impression is viewable when at least 50% of the ad’s pixels are in view on an in-focus browser tab for at least one continuous second after the ad renders. For video, the same share of pixels has to be in view for two continuous seconds of play. The guidelines were designed primarily for desktop browser advertising and allow a 30% pixel threshold for large display ads of 242,500 pixels or more, if this is disclosed. These thresholds describe an opportunity to see an ad, not proof that someone watched it.
Standards give the market a common language: what counts as a viewable impression and what counts as GIVT or SIVT. GIVT is caught with lists and routine checks, such as known data centers and bots that declare themselves. SIVT takes advanced analysis to detect, because it includes disguised automation and manipulated measurement signals.
How can you use verification results?
A verification report is useful when decisions are made from it:
- exclude domains, apps and placements with a high share of IVT or low viewability;
- move budget between platforms by their share of valid and viewable impressions;
- discuss discrepancies with the platform, backed by data for each domain and placement;
- compare platforms by one methodology, not by each platform’s own reporting.
The platform decides on compensation for invalid impressions under its own rules and contract. A verifier provides the data for that conversation, not its outcome.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need verification if the ad platform has its own anti-fraud?
A platform's built-in filter is run by the party that sells the impressions, and you see its results in that party's own report. A verifier measures the same campaign independently, across the platforms where it is set up, and reports invalid traffic separately, so the two can be compared.
How is verification different from website analytics?
Website analytics measures activity on your website. Ad verification measures ad delivery before any visit: where the ad ran, whether it had a chance to be seen, whether the traffic was invalid. Invalid impressions that led to no visit do not appear in website analytics.
When should you set up verification: before launch or during the campaign?
A verifier only sees impressions after its code starts firing. The earlier it is set up, the more data there is, but it is not too late to check a running campaign.
Which environments does ad verification cover?
Display and video ads are verified on the web, in mobile apps and on Smart TV. Open Measurement supports mobile apps, web and connected TV, but support differs by device and integration, so ask each verifier which environments it measures.
How AdMetr works
AdMetr checks every impression in real time and shows in one simple report how many impressions are real, how many were seen by a person and where the fraud is. No inventory of our own, no DSP and no traffic sales, so no conflict of interest. The pixel goes on a live campaign without pausing delivery and without changes to the creative. We’ll quote the price after your request or after the demo.