Google, Yahoo and Microsoft Form a Click Measurement Group

The Interactive Advertising Bureau, an organization representing over 250 companies involved in the field of online advertising and responsible for 86% of the sold online advertising in the United States, has announced through a press release the creation of an industry-wide Click Measurement Working Group. Enjoying the active engagement of such Internet giants as Google, Yahoo and Microsoft, the group aims to spawn a collection of Click Measurement Guidelines in an effort to put an end to the click fraud phenomenon. As the number of online advertisers has dropped on the background of a loss in consumer confidence as the major providers of Internet advertising space have been proven vulnerable to fraudulent clicks, the Click Measurement Working Group means to regain the trust standards associated with pay-per-click advertising.

"The IAB is steadfast in its commitment to the principles of transparency and industry oversight for the measurement of any aspect of Interactive media. The Click Measurement Guidelines will also outline an industry driven auditing and certification recommendation for any organization involved in performance based marketing like search engines, as networks, third party as servers or any company that counts clicks as a part of the media currency. These guidelines are part of the broader Global Ad Impression Guidelines that were launched in 2004 and follow the recent release of the Broadband Measurement Guidelines," stated IAB in the press release.

"Click Measurement is the next phase of the Interactive industry's groundbreaking Global Measurement Guidelines initiative," says Greg Stuart CEO of the IAB. "These guidelines demonstrate our continued commitment to being the most accountable advertising medium and providing marketers with the highest possible level of transparency."