Click Measurement Accreditation for adCenter and Atlas Media Console

Microsoft is among the pack leaders when it comes down to click measurement standards accreditation. The Redmond company's online advertising efforts fully comply with both the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB)’s Click Measurement Guidelines and the MRC’s Minimum Standards for Media Rating Research, revealed Tim Cranton, associate general counsel. What does this mean for advertisers? Well, the accreditation is a guarantee that companies advertising with Microsoft will enjoy protection from click fraud, a form of abuse of the pay-per-click advertising model. Microsoft indicated that its adCenter and Atlas Media Console had received Click Measurement Accreditation.

“MRC accreditation is incredibly important to Microsoft Advertising, providing assurance to the online advertising community that we are completely aligning with IAB’s standards for clicks,” explained Robin Domeniconi, vice president, US Advertising, Publishing & Marketing. “This is further demonstration of our dedication to being a strategic partner by improving transparency, accuracy and reliability as it relates to click quality and measurement. We want our advertisers to be able to make informed decisions about their campaigns.”

George Ivie, CEO and executive director of the MRC, applauded the fact that Microsoft was among the first companies to seek MRC Accreditation. In fact, 2009 is the first year in which click measurement standards accreditations have been awarded. Ultimately, the accreditation is only a confirmation of the Redmond company's efforts to protect advertisers from being charged for invalid or fraudulent clicks.

“Enforcement can play a key role in supporting the industry’s efforts to fight click fraud, and we are committed to investigating perpetrators and shutting them down. It is equally important, however, for industry to develop technology solutions and best practices as the first line of defense, to help block and disrupt click fraud before it happens. We applaud the IAB’s and MRC’s work to help promote industry standards to encourage transparency, accuracy and accountability in clicks and congratulate the Microsoft Advertising team as well as the other companies announced today for the accreditation,” Cranton stated.