IAB releases guidelines for gaming ad measurement

In-game and online game advertising is quickly growing in popularity with advertisers. Now the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) has released guidelines for the measurement of gaming ads, making the trend even more feasible for marketers.

by Kristina Knight

Sheryl Draizen, SVP and General Manager of the IAB said, "Both RIA (Rich Internet Application, the ad measurement form) and Games environments offer advertisers effective opportunities to reach their consumers, and offer consumers richer more engaging interactive experiences."

The RIA guidelines determine at what point an ad impression should actually be counted within an ad-serving platform. By knowing how many ad impressions an online spot is receiving, marketers can better prepare for future campaigns and can adjust current campaigns to increase the campaign ROI.

According to the most recent Game Advertising Platform Status Report from the IAB, online gaming has great potential for advertisers. Worldwide, video games are bringing in about $25 billion per year for software and hardware. About 40% of households have a video game console and in the US about 120 million consumers play video games.

The online gamer population is expected to reach 99 million by 2012. In 2006, overall gaming revenue reached $370 million and by 2012, gaming revenue is expected to reach $2 billion. In-game ad revenue is forecasted to reach $800 million by 2012.