IAB Tech Lab Releases Podcast Measurement Technical Guidelines 2.1 for Public Comment

IAB Tech Lab has released the Podcast Measurement Technical Guidelines 2.1 for public comment for a 30-day period which begins today and lasts until December 31, 2020. Podcast Measurement Technical Guidelines are standard metrics for both podcast content and podcast ads to provide marketplace clarity through a common language for measurement.

With the podcast industry’s significant growth, and ad revenue projected to reach $1 billion in the U.S. for 2020, there is a need to keep pace with market needs and provide further clarification of the Measurement Guidelines. The IAB Tech Lab Podcast Technical Working Group put together the latest updates on industry best practices to reduce measurement discrepancies and provide a set of recommended metrics and guidelines across the podcast marketplace. The IAB Podcast Measurement Technical Guidelines 2.1 have significant updates over the current version, which was last updated in 2017. They include a new section with guidance on user agent structure, recommendations for IPv6 IP addresses, filtering guidance for Apple watchOS user agents, and a number of additional podcast player recommendations.

The IAB Podcast Measurement Technical Guidelines 2.1 define four metrics – Download, Listener, Ad Delivered, and Client-Confirmed Ad Play – creating the first step toward an improved environment where buyers and sellers can use a clearly defined common language. This is important because improved communication will enable producers to scale their operations and invest in technology that brings tracking closer to the standards available in other media options.

“The podcast industry has remained vibrant during the global pandemic. Podcast listeners are loyal and highly engaged which makes them an appealing target for marketers,” said Shailley Singh, Vice President, Product and Global Programs, IAB Tech Lab. “However, this medium is currently under-utilized due to industry challenges around a commonly agreed-upon set of metrics. The IAB Podcast Measurement Technical Guidelines is designed to address this by creating a consistent set of podcast advertising metrics so buyers and sellers can engage in a conversation about campaign strategy with confidence.”

“The changes to the IAB Podcast Measurement Technical Guidelines v2.1 are the result of hours of conversation, collaboration, and research among podcast industry leaders across a range of topics most notably with respect to guidance for podcast app developers,” said Robert Freeland, Co-Founder and CTO, Podtrac. “The IAB Tech Lab Podcast Technical Working Group continues to iterate on its standards to provide the market with the most accurate and consistent data.”

Steve Mulder, Senior Director of Audience Insights, NPR, added, “Podcasting continued to grow in 2020 despite the COVID-19 disruptions to all of our lives, reinforcing the power of this medium to connect with audiences. With this continued growth, it is vital to accurately measure podcasting effectiveness, and that’s why the updates to the IAB Podcast Measurement Technical Guidelines matter. These updates ensure podcast metrics can be trusted by publishers and advertisers for making key investment decisions in this powerful medium.”

IAB Tech Lab Podcast Technical Working Group Co-Chairs include Steve Mulder, Senior Director of Audience Insights, NPR and Robert Freeland, Co-Founder and CTO, Podtrac.

To review the proposed standard and provide feedback, please go to: https://iabtechlab.com/standards/podcast-measurement-guidelines/

About IAB Technology Laboratory

Established in 2014, the IAB Technology Laboratory (Tech Lab) is a non-profit consortium that engages a member community globally to develop foundational technology and standards that enable growth and trust in the digital media ecosystem. Comprised of digital publishers, ad technology firms, agencies, marketers, and other member companies, IAB Tech Lab focuses on solutions for brand safety and ad fraud; identity, data, and consumer privacy; ad experiences and measurement; and programmatic effectiveness. Its work includes the OpenRTB real-time bidding protocol, ads.txt anti-fraud specification, Open Measurement SDK for viewability and verification, VAST video specification, and Project Rearc initiative for privacy-centric addressability. Board members/companies are listed at https://iabtechlab.com/about-the-iab-tech-lab/tech-lab-leadership. For more information, please visit https://iabtechlab.com.