• by Gavin O'Malley  @mp_gavin, April 16, 2013

Although a common measurement in TV land, GRPs -- or gross rating points -- are still new to many online advertisers. In an attempt to change that, video ad startup SET Media is adding Nielsen Online Campaign Ratings to its video measurement service Velocity.
 
Per the deal, the San Francisco-based company says ad clients will be able to forecast GRPs by program type -- from sports to automotive and entertainment -- and individual videos, in addition to post-impression analytics.
 
Michael Mathieu, chairman and CEO of SET Media, said a desire among advertisers for greater standardization inspired the partnership. “Our customers want standardized metrics." He believes that this familiar measurement standard will help accelerate the shift of ad dollars from traditional channels to the Web.
 
“We’re seeing significant traction with broadcast buyers looking to move into digital video,” said Mathieu. “This collaboration enables broadcast buyers with familiar insights into digital programming and digital planners with more data to optimize campaigns.”
 
The new service will give advertisers the ability to predict campaign performance and adjust their media plans accordingly, Mathieu promises.
 
Now, according to Mathieu, clients will be able to see how many points they will reach by targeting, say, sports content versus home and garden content before a campaign runs.
 
Last month, SET revamped its digital video ad platform, Guide, to provide video-level performance analytics to brand advertisers.