DoubleVerify launches News Accelerator

On October 15, 2024, DoubleVerify (DV), a leading software platform for digital media measurement, data, and analytics, announced the launch of its News Accelerator program. This initiative, which has been in development for over a year, is designed to align DV's product innovation with the needs of the news industry and encourage advertiser spending on news and journalism.

The digital advertising landscape has become increasingly complex, with brands seeking greater transparency and control over their ad placements. However, this pursuit of brand safety has led to unintended consequences for news publishers. Overly broad use of media quality tools has often resulted in the unintentional blocking of valuable news content, depriving publishers of essential advertising revenue.

Mark Zagorski, CEO of DoubleVerify, emphasized the importance of this initiative: "It is clear that advertising on news sites is a win-win for brands and journalism. Our News Accelerator goes beyond just lip service support – it involves real investment in scalable products and thought leadership."

The News Accelerator program introduces several key components:

1. DV News Plus: A positive contextual segment for news
2. Advanced suitability controls
3. Enhanced analytics tools

These components are aimed at driving more positive advertiser engagement with news content while ensuring brand suitability.

DV News Plus

DV News Plus is a contextual news segment that enables advertisers to reach news content while avoiding brand-unsafe or objectionable material. It includes content from top trafficked websites for newspapers, radio, TV, and magazines reporting on local, national, and international events, while excluding content generally deemed unsafe by brands.

The company is expanding News Plus with additional segments that will enable brands to further refine and customize their news media buys based on attention and other key quality and performance areas. This feature will be available for activation across all major Demand-Side Platforms (DSPs) where DV contextual data is currently available.

Advanced Suitability Controls

Based on feedback from news media publishers and brands, DV is introducing additional suitability controls. These will allow advertisers to better tune their brand suitability settings, potentially opening up scale on news content where engaged audiences are congregating, and reducing the risk of overblocking.

This approach aims to strike a balance between brand protection and supporting quality journalism. By providing more granular controls, advertisers can avoid overly restrictive settings that might inadvertently exclude valuable news content.

Enhanced Analytics

To help clients optimize their brand suitability settings, DV will proactively monitor advertiser profiles for higher-than-average avoidance rates and consult on recommended adjustments. These recommendations may include removing overly restrictive keywords, expanding inclusion and exception lists, and fine-tuning other brand suitability settings.

DV's Page Exceptions feature, launched in 2019, allows advertisers to support news publishers by enabling specific sites and pages to bypass all brand safety avoidance settings. This feature provides a way for brands to whitelist trusted news sources, ensuring their ads can appear on high-quality journalism even if it covers sensitive topics.

Partnerships and industry education

According to the announcement, DV will foster partnerships and feedback loops with dozens of news publishers across the spectrum of news content. This includes regional and niche publications as well as global news leaders. The company also plans to educate the industry on balancing brand suitability with the brand-building opportunities presented by news content.

To spearhead this initiative, DV has appointed industry veteran Jack Marshall as the company's Head of News. Marshall, who has nearly two decades of experience in digital media journalism and publishing, will lead DV's efforts in the news sector. His background includes senior reporting and editorial roles at top publications such as The Wall Street Journal and Digiday.

Marshall expressed his excitement about the role, stating, "By working closely with publishers we will ensure advertisers are equipped with technology, tools and insights to support news content and confidently engage with valuable news audiences."

The value of advertising on News Sites

DV's research reveals compelling data that underscores the value of advertising alongside news content. According to their findings, advertising on news sites generates nearly 20% more engagement than non-news content. This presents a significant opportunity for brands to connect with highly engaged and attentive audiences.

By strategically investing in news, brands can enhance reach and campaign effectiveness without sacrificing brand suitability. This data-driven approach aims to shift advertiser perceptions about the risks and rewards of advertising alongside news content.

Industry response and collaboration

The initiative has garnered positive responses from industry players. Sarah Chaten, VP of Insights & Analytics at Group Black, expressed support for the initiative, stating that it will help increase monetization for their collective of publishers and bloggers. She commended DV for its commitment to developing responsible verification tools with input from publishers and for helping advertisers understand the benefits of investing in news and diverse publishers.

As part of the launch, DV hosted a News Accelerator Summit where over a dozen news publishers joined a roundtable discussion to address brand safety and suitability challenges. The summit also explored how DV can collaborate with the news industry to support journalism and discussed areas of investment, including increased technical support and resources.

Future research and development

In the coming months, DV plans to release additional data showcasing the value of advertising alongside news content. This research will highlight the positive impact of news on brand perception and campaign performance, providing advertisers with key insights to help them maximize their investment in news media while maintaining brand suitability.

The company is committed to ongoing innovation in this area, with plans to continue building on these enhancements to adapt to the changing landscape of news media and meet the demands of global brands.

Implications for the Digital Advertising ecosystem

The News Accelerator program represents a significant step towards reconciling the often-conflicting goals of brand safety and support for quality journalism. By providing more nuanced tools and data-driven insights, DV aims to create a digital ecosystem that benefits advertisers, publishers, and consumers alike.

For advertisers, this initiative offers the potential to reach highly engaged audiences while maintaining control over brand suitability. For publishers, it could lead to increased ad revenue and support for their journalistic efforts. And for consumers, it may result in a better online experience with more relevant advertising alongside quality news content.

Key Facts

• DoubleVerify launched its News Accelerator program on October 15, 2024.
• The program aims to align product innovation with news industry needs and encourage advertiser spending on journalism.
• Key components include DV News Plus, advanced suitability controls, and enhanced analytics tools.
• Jack Marshall has been appointed as DV's Head of News to lead the initiative.
• DV data shows that advertising on news sites generates nearly 20% more engagement than non-news content.
• The company plans to release additional research on the value of advertising alongside news content.
• DV hosted a News Accelerator Summit with over a dozen news publishers to discuss brand safety and suitability challenges.
• The initiative seeks to balance brand safety concerns with support for quality journalism in the digital advertising ecosystem.