The new set of guidelines will establish a consistent definition of how to count an ad impression. Currently an impression is defined as "the measurement of responses from a Web server to a page request from the user browser, which is filtered from robotic activity and error codes, and is recorded at a point as close as possible to opportunity to see the page by the user." Additionally, the group will develop an auditing and a certification process that will enable advertisers and their agencies to have confidence in the impression counts across multiple ad-serving technologies.
The IAB, the MRC and the AAAA are endeavoring to improve the existing guidelines and during the process intend to provide periodic status updates to the industry. The process will include the development of consistent industry definitions, an MRC regulated audit process, and actual compliance to these definitions by many of today's publishers and third-party ad servers. Until the new guidelines are unveiled, current guidelines remain in effect. Todd Teresi, Yahoo!, serves as chair of the IAB Measurement Committee and Jonathan Adams, mOne, Worldwide, chairs the AAAA Eastern Interactive Marketing and New Media Committee.