What a difference three years makes.
Three years ago, we released the first version of the IAB Data Primer. The primer provided clarity about the kinds of data involved in online advertising, common terms and definitions for the data, and steps advertisers and publishers should take to use the data effectively while protecting online users’ personal identifiable information.
Over the past three years, the online world has undergone a sea change. Consider the following:
The mind-boggling takeoff of the mobile web: In 2010, mobile web usage counted for barely a few digits of all internet traffic. Now, in 2013, approximately 15% of all internet traffic flows through mobile devices. This is the logical outcome of the 1.5 billion smart phone users there are now in the world.
Three years ago, when we prepared our first Data Primer report, iPads were limited to early adopters as they were only released a month before we released the Data Usage & Best Practices Primer. Now, you are likely to be reading this post on your own tablet. Apple reports over 100M units sold to date.
Today we live and work in a totally different landscape than that of three years ago. The extreme takeoff of tablet technology has transformed the online experience for the majority of online users.
Another big trend over the past three years has been the rise of “big data,” which has led to vastly better targeted advertising and creative content. Much of that targeted advertising is now bought and sold in milliseconds, in real time, using new technologies that automate the process as well as the wide-scale adoption of data management platforms (DMP) that allow companies to effectively utilize their increasing sources and volume of data.
Our Data Primer 2.0 includes new sections on mobile data usage, DMPs and ad exchanges. The primer also provides the definitions and terms used for these new areas as well as how to use of the data according to industry best practices. With this new edition, we hope to advance our mission to demystify data and to help promote clarity and transparency in the marketplace.
Data Usage & Control Primer can be downloaded here https://www.iab.com/guidelines/508676/data/data_primer