Click Measurement Guidelines

Clicks on ads generate revenue in direct response ad campaigns and therefore need to be clearly defined. An addendum to the 2004 Ad Impression Measurement Guideline, the Click Measurement Guidelines include details about the origins of a click, when to count a click, which clicks are valid and/or fraudulent, and the difference between a clickthrough and an in-unit click. Guidelines for filtration, auditing, and reporting parameters are also included. While more modern versions of the “click,” such as a “tap” in a mobile device, are not explicitly covered in this document, provisions for “any emerging technology utilizing standard HTTP protocols” are made. Any company responsible for tracking, measuring, reporting, storing, or auditing click data in an online campaign can use these guidelines.

Scope . . .