• by Tyler Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_tyler, April 29, 2015

One step forward. One step backward.

Rinse. Repeat.

That’s what viewability rates have been doing for about a year now. They rise ever so slightly quarter-over-quarter, only to fall again the next quarter.

In Q1 2015, viewability rates on networks and exchanges -- i.e. all non-direct digital ad inventory -- were 41.8%. For what it’s worth, viewability rates for direct-sold inventory wasn’t much better, checking in at 52.8%.

The 41.8% mark is a slight dip from the 42.6% rate notched in Q4 2014 (which was up marginally from 36.7% the quarter before, which was down from the quarter before that, and…well, you get the picture.)

The viewability data comes from Integral Ad Science’s most recent quarterly report, which focuses on the quality of digital ad media. Integral uses the Media Rating Council (MRC) standard definition of viewability: If 50% of the ad’s pixels are in-view for at least one second, or two for video, the ad is deemed viewable.

Networks and exchanges recorded a “true advertising quality” score of 551 (out of 1,000) -- level with the 548 and 540 scores posted in Q4 and Q3 2014, respectively, but below what was posted in the first half of 2014. The “true advertising quality” score is based on a variety of factors measured by Integral, including fraud, viewability, ad clutter, brand safety and professionalism ratings.

Integral’s report comes just weeks after Vindico, a Viant company and digital video ad platform, reported that fewer than half (45%) of all digital video ads were viewable in 2014, up marginally from the 43% mark posted in 2013.

Integral’s full report can be found here.