As a media buyer previously, I was always frustrated with the lack of tracking on iOS in mobile inventory. However, it was possible to track performance on Android and as Android’s market share grew, so did the conversions attributed to mobile display. Mobile apps, however, were another story altogether – as a performance shop, I could not justify buying app inventory. A couple of years have passed since then, and mobile display has exploded. Interesting cross-device targeting & attribution companies (InMobi, AppsFlyer, MediaLets & more) have sprung up to close the loop on mobile at the same time that the issue of ad viewability has come to a head. At a recent member meeting of the IAB, the discussion revolved around mobile ad viewability and the huge challenges that the Media Rating Council (MRC) faces in trying to set standards, especially with app inventory. “This is a tech problem,” said the MRC, “and it will be solved with tech.” For the company(s) that provide/s that technology, the future is bright.
