March, 2023
The negative effects of social networks such as TikTok, the increase in inputs received each day, the endless cycle of news and the emergence of the double-screening phenomenon have had a major impact on our attention span. Advertisers are finding it increasingly difficult to capture the attention of consumers and to know which content will win them a few minutes of their viewer’s time.
As concerns grow about the privacy of consumers and the disappearance of cookies, advertisers are looking for digital marketing metrics that are precise and also respect privacy. One of these is a metric capable of measuring attention.
Before incorporating any metrics we first need to define what is meant by ‘attention’. Attention is a key concept in advertising and it is important to understand how it is measured in order to optimise the effectiveness of the ads. In contrast to viewability, which simply tells you whether an ad is visible to the user, attention measures the actual time that someone spends looking at an ad.
Currently, attention is mainly measured using eye tracking, which is now more accessible due to the front cameras on smartphones. Eye tracking allows you to determine which parts of an ad or website attract the user’s attention the most, and for how long.
This technique is combined with surveys to measure the recall of the ads and the probability of someone buying something after seeing it. The data obtained are then processed using automated learning models which allow prediction of the type of content that will most attract the attention of users.
It has been proven that attention, i.e. viewing time, has a direct influence on results. A recent advert showed that the rate of ad conversion increases exponentially if the viewing time is more than 15 seconds.
Consequently, advertisers who want to guarantee high levels of quality and viewing time are moving from the traditional CPM (cost per mille) model to the qCPM (cost per quality) model, where impressions are only paid for if they meet certain quality parameters in the digital media specified by the buyer.
A report by Playground XYZ, verified by Kantar, stated the following results:
In a given campaign, awareness went from 30% for consumers with an attention time of less than 10 seconds, to 52% for 10-20 seconds, and to 67% for more than 20 seconds. In other words, the probability of a lift in awareness rose by 11% for each additional second of attention time.
Another campaign went from 48% recall with an attention time of less than 10 seconds, to 52% with an attention time of 10-20 seconds, and to 76% with more than 20 seconds. This means that the probability of a lift in recall increases by 7% for each additional second of attention time.
Moreover, if a metric existed for measuring attention using a method other than eye-tracking, it would be possible to calculate the results with much more detail. This is crucial at a time when advertising investment is focused on channels in which even basic measurement is a challenge, as is the case with CTV.
Connected TV is a device that is connected to the Internet and allows viewers to stream video content. The various types of CTV include Smart TV, Xbox, PlayStation, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV, among others. Smart TV advertising is a strategy that combines the powerful storytelling of traditional TV and the segmentation of digital marketing and has been driven by the growing trend in cancelling traditional TV subscriptions in favour of streaming formats.
However, as more advertisers jump on board this trend, they’ll need to understand the real value of their investment. This where specific tools come into play, tools that allow advertisers to measure the revenue generated as a result of their efforts in CTV. Because performance indicators such as visibility, reach and frequency are no longer sufficient and do not give the full picture.
In 2022, Netflix and Disney+ announced the launch of advertising on their platforms, following the move of other channels such as HBO. With the implementation of advertising on these immensely powerful channels with huge reach, the sector urgently needs a better measurement of performance in order to quantify the return on digital investments.
However, although attention metrics in advertising could be the solution to these problems, the sector still hasn’t come together to establish clear definitions and guidelines with regard to what attention is and how to use it for influencing the strategy and optimisation of marketing campaigns.
One of the most significant changes envisaged for 2023 is the adoption of more precise attention metrics that can strengthen the connected TV (CTV) measurements, becoming more standardised and serving as a currency that advertisers can use for transactions.
We’ll be keeping a close eye on advances in the standardisation and accreditation of attention measurement during the course of this year. These advances will enable us to measure the performance of advertising campaigns with greater precision and to make informed decisions when assigning budgets and optimising marketing strategies.