Media Metrics Glossary

The total number of unique people or households exposed to a media message at least once within a defined time period.

The average number of times a unique person or household is exposed to a media message within a given campaign period.

A measure of total campaign exposure equal to Reach (%) multiplied by Frequency. One GRP equals 1% of the target audience reached once.

Like GRP but measured only against a specific defined target audience rather than the total population.

The total number of times a piece of content or advertisement is displayed, regardless of whether it is clicked or engaged with.

The percentage of total advertising exposure or spend a brand holds in a given category compared to all competitors.

The total number of unique individuals exposed to a campaign after deducting duplicated audiences across multiple channels or placements.

The demographic or psychographic breakdown of the audience who are exposed to an ad, expressed as a percentage of the total audience.

A ratio comparing the target audience's consumption of media versus the general population. An index above 100 indicates above-average affinity.

The number of unique people reached at a minimum effective frequency threshold (typically 3+ exposures) within a campaign period.

The minimum number of times an audience member must be exposed to a message before taking action or forming a brand memory.

The percentage of the total target population that is exposed to a given media vehicle at least once throughout a campaign.

The overlap in audience between two or more media vehicles or placements. High duplication reduces incremental net reach.

The average number of times a member of the target audience has a chance to see a media message. Mathematically equivalent to Frequency.

The cost an advertiser pays to serve 1,000 impressions of an ad. A fundamental pricing model across both traditional and digital channels.

The combination and proportion of different media channels (e.g., TV, radio, digital, OOH) used within a campaign strategy.

A scheduling strategy where advertising runs in alternating periods of activity and inactivity to manage budget or maintain audience freshness.

A media scheduling strategy combining continuous low-level spending with periodic bursts of heavier activity, often used for seasonal products.

A specific time segment within a broadcast day used to target audiences based on their viewing or listening habits (e.g., prime time, morning drive).

A strategy that prioritises reaching consumers as close as possible to their purchase decision moment, rather than maximising total frequency.

The total defined population from which a media audience is drawn. Serves as the denominator for calculating all reach and rating metrics.

The percentage of the total potential audience (universe) exposed to a specific media vehicle at a given time. A single rating point equals 1% of the universe.

The average number of individuals tuned in to a broadcast at any given minute within a defined time period. A standard TV and radio planning metric.

The percentage of the audience actively consuming media at a specific time who are tuned to a particular channel or station, versus all active viewers or listeners.

A figure comparing a target audience's media consumption behaviour to that of the total population, where 100 represents parity. Numbers above 100 show over-indexing.

The cost to achieve one GRP or TRP within a target audience. Calculated as Total Spend ÷ Total GRPs or TRPs. Used to compare relative efficiency across channels.

The total volume of advertising activity behind a campaign, typically expressed in GRPs, impressions, or total spend across a defined period.

A media scheduling approach where advertising runs consistently and evenly throughout the entire campaign period without breaks or bursts.

The point at which repeated exposure to the same ad causes audience engagement and effectiveness to decline due to familiarity or annoyance.

A graph illustrating the relationship between the number of ad impressions delivered and the cumulative unique audience reached. Reach growth typically decelerates as frequency increases.

The incremental audience lift achieved when two or more media channels are used together, producing a combined result greater than the sum of each individual channel.

The total number of advertising exposures across all placements and vehicles in a campaign, including duplicated contacts. Equal to GRPs multiplied by the universe.

The additional readers of a print publication beyond the primary purchaser. Adds to the total audience figure but with typically lower engagement levels.

The total number of copies of a print publication distributed or sold in a given period. The base for calculating print advertising reach and CPM.

The total number of individuals who listen to a radio broadcast or watch a TV programme within a defined period, as measured by ratings panels.

The percentage of impressions that result in a click. Calculated as (Clicks ÷ Impressions) × 100. Indicates ad relevance and creative effectiveness.

The average amount paid each time a user clicks on an advertisement. Calculated as Total Spend ÷ Total Clicks.

The total cost to acquire one customer or conversion. Calculated as Total Spend ÷ Total Conversions. A key efficiency metric for performance campaigns.

The percentage of clicks or visits that result in a desired action (purchase, signup, download). Calculated as (Conversions ÷ Clicks) × 100.

Revenue generated for every unit of currency spent on advertising. Calculated as Revenue ÷ Ad Spend. A direct measure of advertising profitability.

Net profit generated from advertising relative to the money invested. Calculated as ((Revenue - Cost) ÷ Cost) × 100.

A Google Ads metric rating the relevance and quality of keywords, ads, and landing pages. Higher quality scores reduce CPCs and improve ad positions.

A value that determines where ads appear in search results, based on bid, Quality Score, expected impact of ad extensions, and the search context.

The percentage of total impressions an ad received compared to the total number it was eligible to receive. Indicates competitive presence in a market.

The total cost to generate one qualified lead through an advertising campaign. A core metric for B2B and lead-generation campaigns.

The percentage of people who engaged (liked, commented, shared, or saved) with a social ad out of the total people who saw it.

A limit placed on how many times a single user sees a specific ad within a defined period, preventing overexposure and audience fatigue.

The rule or set of rules that determines how credit for a conversion is distributed across touchpoints in the customer journey (e.g., last click, first click, linear).

A conversion that occurs after a user has seen an ad (without clicking) and later completes a desired action within a defined lookback window.

The average cost paid each time a user watches or engages with a video ad. Commonly used for YouTube and video advertising campaigns.

The percentage of video ad views that play through to their end. A high VCR indicates engaging creative content and relevant audience targeting.

The typical ranking of an ad in a search results page or on a publisher's website, indicating competitive standing and bid effectiveness.

The percentage of users who land on a page from an ad and leave without taking any further action or visiting another page on the site.

The total revenue a business expects from a single customer throughout the entirety of their relationship. Informs maximum allowable CPA targets.

The average number of times a specific individual is served the same paid ad within a set campaign timeframe, often managed via frequency caps.

The fraction of eligible search impressions that an ad actually received, broken into Lost IS (Budget) and Lost IS (Rank) to diagnose underperformance.

The average cost to drive one mobile app installation from a paid campaign. Standard metric in app marketing and mobile user acquisition.

The average cost for each meaningful interaction (expand, hover, video play) with a rich media or social ad. Used for brand engagement objectives.

In paid media, the cost to purchase 1,000 ad impressions. Typically used for awareness campaigns on social, display, and video channels.

The total amount billed to a client for media placements, including agency commission. The "top-line" budget before agency fees are deducted.

The actual amount paid directly to media owners for advertising inventory, after deducting the agency commission or rebate.

The percentage fee charged by a media or advertising agency, typically applied to the gross media spend. Commonly ranges from 10–20% depending on market and scope.

A brand's advertising expenditure as a percentage of total category spend. Often benchmarked against Share of Voice to assess efficiency or over/under-investment.

The fraction of all achievable clicks that an ad actually received in search, indicating the potential for incremental traffic if budget or quality is improved.

The percentage of the time an ad appeared in the very first position above all other search ads, the highest-visibility placement on the search results page.

The total number of unique accounts that saw any piece of paid social content at least once within a set reporting period.

Total interactions on a paid social post (likes, comments, shares, saves) divided by impressions or reach, then multiplied by 100. Benchmarks creative resonance.

A monetary estimate of the organic exposure a paid campaign generates through shares, re-posts, or word-of-mouth, beyond the directly paid placements.

The average revenue generated per completed transaction, used alongside ROAS and CPA to evaluate the revenue quality of conversions driven by advertising.

The average duration between a user's first exposure to an ad and the completion of a conversion. Informs lookback window settings in attribution models.

The price paid per 1,000 ad impressions. The primary pricing model in programmatic buying, varying by channel, inventory quality, and audience targeting.

The percentage of auction bids that are successful out of total bids submitted. A low win rate may signal underpricing or excessive targeting restrictions.

The maximum amount an advertiser is willing to pay for a single ad impression in a real-time auction (RTB). Set manually or algorithmically by a DSP.

The minimum price a publisher sets for inventory in a programmatic auction. Bids below the floor price are rejected by the SSP.

The percentage of available ad requests that are successfully filled with a paid ad. Low fill rates may indicate a mismatch between targeting and available inventory.

The percentage of ad impressions deemed "viewable" by IAB standards — at least 50% of the ad must be on-screen for at least 1 second (2 seconds for video).

The effective CPM calculated only on viewable impressions, excluding non-viewable inventory. A more accurate efficiency metric than standard CPM.

Ad impressions generated by bots, scrapers, or other non-human sources. Divided into General IVT (GIVT) and Sophisticated IVT (SIVT). A key brand safety concern.

Measures and tools ensuring ads do not appear alongside inappropriate or harmful content that could damage a brand's reputation.

A unique identifier for a private marketplace (PMP) deal between a publisher and specific buyer, allowing preferential access to premium inventory outside the open exchange.

An invitation-only programmatic auction where publishers offer premium inventory to a select group of buyers under negotiated terms, versus the open exchange.

A direct deal between a buyer and publisher executed programmatically, where inventory volume, price, and audiences are fixed in advance — combining automation with certainty.

The open-exchange real-time bidding protocol where any eligible buyer can compete for publisher inventory in millisecond auctions managed by an SSP.

A technology platform used by advertisers and agencies to purchase digital ad inventory across multiple exchanges and publishers through a single interface.

A technology platform used by publishers to manage and sell their ad inventory programmatically to multiple buyers simultaneously, maximising yield.

A centralised system that collects, organises, and activates first-, second-, and third-party audience data to improve targeting precision in programmatic campaigns.

A defined group of users sharing common characteristics or behaviours (e.g., in-market auto buyers) used to target ad delivery in programmatic environments.

The process of matching user identifiers between different platforms (e.g., a DSP and a DMP) to enable consistent cross-platform audience targeting.

The weighted average CPM across all channels and placements in a multi-channel programmatic campaign. Used to measure overall campaign cost efficiency.

The projected number of unique users a programmatic campaign will reach based on targeting parameters, inventory availability, and historical data models.

The average number of times a unique device or cookie-identified user is exposed to an ad. Managed via frequency caps at the DSP or campaign level.

The CPM or engagement benchmarks specific to ads delivered on internet-connected television devices, typically commanding premium pricing due to high viewability.

The percentage of video ad impressions where the user watched the content to 100% completion. High completion rates indicate strong creative relevance and optimal placement.

The percentage of audio ad impressions (podcast, streaming music) where the listener heard the full ad. High rates indicate targeted, relevant audio placements.

The estimated number of people exposed to a Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) ad, measured via mobile location data, facial detection, or footfall analytics.

A digital marketplace that connects advertisers (via DSPs) and publishers (via SSPs) to transact programmatic media inventory in real time through automated auctions.

An advanced programmatic technique allowing multiple demand sources to bid on a publisher's inventory simultaneously before the ad server is called, maximising publisher yield.

An algorithm used in first-price auction environments that calculates the optimal bid slightly below the maximum a buyer is willing to pay, reducing overpaying for won impressions.

An auction model in which the winning bidder pays exactly what they bid. Now the dominant model in programmatic buying, replacing the second-price auction.

A legacy auction model in which the winning bidder pays one cent above the second-highest bid. Largely phased out in favour of first-price auctions by most SSPs.

A programmatic audience strategy that identifies and targets new users who share characteristics with an advertiser's best existing customers or site visitors.

Serving ads based on the content of the page a user is reading rather than their personal data or browsing history. Growing in importance post-cookie deprecation.

The practice of serving ads to users who have previously visited a website, used an app, or shown purchase intent, to re-engage them and drive conversion.

Conversions that are directly attributed to a user clicking on a programmatic ad. Distinguished from view-through conversions where only an impression was served.

The total media cost divided by the number of video ads watched to full completion. A more rigorous efficiency metric than standard CPV.

Specific to YouTube TrueView ads — the percentage of users who chose to watch the full ad rather than skipping after the initial 5 seconds.

The proportion of total ad impressions delivered to the intended target audience. High OTP indicates efficient audience fidelity and minimal wasted spend.

Serving different ads to different households watching the same TV programme, using set-top box or connected TV data to enable household-level programmatic targeting.

The percentage of CTV video ads watched to full completion. CTV typically commands near-100% completion rates as ads are often non-skippable.

The cost per 1,000 impressions delivered within mobile or console gaming environments. In-game placements include banners, interstitials, and intrinsic in-environment ads.

The process of linking multiple signals (device IDs, email hashes, cookies, CRM data) to a single user profile to enable consistent cross-device targeting and measurement.

A shared, privacy-compliant user identifier built as an alternative to third-party cookies for enabling audience targeting and measurement in cookieless environments.

A tool that manages user consent for data collection and advertising tracking in compliance with privacy legislation such as GDPR, CCPA, and global data laws.

Emerging measurement standards (e.g., Lumen, Adelaide) that capture active human attention on an ad — combining viewability, eye-tracking, and engagement signals into a composite score.

The cost per 1,000 impressions for ads that blend seamlessly with editorial content format and style, often achieving higher CTRs and engagement than standard display.