Google Ads introduces Cross-Media Reach measurement

Advertisers can now leverage a new tool within Google Ads: Cross-Media Reach measurement. This feature helps measure deduplicated reach and frequency across video campaigns, providing a holistic view of how effectively ads reach target audiences on YouTube and, in some regions, linear TV.

Understanding Reach and Frequency

• Unique Reach: This metric reveals the total number of individuals who saw an ad, eliminating duplicates across devices, formats, websites, apps, and networks. It provides a clear picture of how many unique users were exposed to the campaign.
• Frequency: This metric indicates how often unique people were shown the ad. By analyzing reach and frequency together, advertisers gain valuable insights into campaign performance, including efficiency in reaching the target audience.

Benefits of Cross-Media Reach

• Campaign Monitoring and Optimization: Throughout a campaign's lifecycle, Cross-Media Reach allows advertisers to track progress towards reach and frequency goals. This enables them to optimize campaigns in real-time for maximum impact.
• Post-Campaign Analysis: After a campaign concludes, Cross-Media Reach offers valuable insights into its effectiveness. Advertisers can assess how well the target demographic was reached and compare digital campaign performance to traditional TV reach and frequency (available in specific regions).
• Deduplicated Reach Measurement: Individual video campaigns within Google Ads are defined by targeting, creative elements, bidding strategies, and ad formats. Cross-Media Reach aggregates and deduplicates reach and frequency across these campaigns, providing a total, unduplicated view for specific demographics. This empowers advertisers to understand the true scope of their campaign's reach.
• On-Target Reach Evaluation: Cross-Media Reach allows advertisers to evaluate on-target reach for relevant audience segments such as age and gender groups. This includes demographics reached in living room settings through co-viewing on connected TVs.
• Cross-Media Insights (Limited Availability): In select regions, advertisers can leverage Cross-Media Reach to compare their digital campaigns with corresponding traditional linear TV campaigns. This provides an estimate of incremental reach based on licensed third-party TV data, offering additional context on digital reach and frequency performance within Google Ads.

Utilizing Cross-Media Reach

• Accessing Reports: To access Cross-Media Reach reports, navigate to the Measurement menu within Google Ads and locate the "Cross-Media Reach" section. If unavailable, contact a Google representative for activation.
• Report Types: There are two primary report categories:
  • Digital Video Only Reports: These reports showcase reach and frequency metrics for campaigns within Google Ads and are available globally.
  • Digital Video + Traditional TV Reports: These reports (available in select regions only) layer corresponding TV metrics obtained from licensed third-party data sources. Access restrictions may apply based on data licensing agreements.

Campaign Planning and Measurement

Cross-Media Reach is a tool that can be used throughout the video campaign lifecycle. Here's how it aids in different stages:

• Pre-Campaign Planning: By analyzing past campaign reach and frequency data with Cross-Media Reach, advertisers can gain insights to inform future campaign investments during the planning stage. Tools like Reach Planner, which leverages similar licensed third-party TV data sources, can further support pre-campaign planning efforts.
• Mid-Campaign Monitoring: During a campaign's runtime, Cross-Media Reach enables advertisers to monitor how video campaigns are performing in achieving their reach and frequency goals set at campaign launch.
• Post-Campaign Reporting: Once a campaign concludes, Cross-Media Reach provides valuable post-campaign reporting on reach and frequency efficiency, helping advertisers understand how effectively their target audience was reached.

Campaign Types Best Suited for Cross-Media Reach

While Cross-Media Reach can measure all video campaigns, it's particularly insightful for campaigns designed to build brand awareness and consideration. These campaigns typically utilize video reach objectives (VRCs) and are transacted on a target CPM (cost-per-thousand impressions) basis. VRCs aim to reach a broad audience or reach the same people multiple times, making them well-suited for Cross-Media Reach measurement. Common ad formats used in VRCs include bumper ads, skippable or non-skippable in-stream ads, in-feed ads, and Shorts.

In contrast, other video campaign types might be optimized for driving online sales, leads, or website traffic. These campaigns are often measured using conversion lift metrics that align more closely with their specific goals.

Overall, Cross-Media Reach empowers advertisers with a comprehensive understanding of how their video campaigns reach target audiences across YouTube and, in specific regions, linear TV. This tool can significantly enhance campaign measurement, optimization, and overall video advertising effectiveness.