TV audit, but above all Digital, a “must-have” tool for every advertiser.

In the complex media landscape, where advertising expenditures are rising (the Polish media market has grown by 63% in the last 10 years), media auditing has emerged as a key element ensuring transparency and confirming the proper optimization of media investments.

Defining the audit

An audit can be defined as a comprehensive assessment and analysis of how the media budget is purchased and utilized within campaigns. Its objective is not only to verify whether the invested funds are yielding the expected results but also to identify potential areas for optimization and improvement.

The role of media audit

Media auditing plays the role of a guardian of media budget effectiveness, of course, only and exclusively when such an expectation is placed on the audit itself. In practice, contrary to appearances, many advertisers carry out audit projects, but their goal is not at all to verify the effectiveness of media investments, but only to confirm that the campaigns were carried out correctly, in accordance with the plan and at the agreed-upon costs.

Observations from the field

Most global corporations implement their campaigns and once every 6 or 12 months verify the compliance of the campaigns with Nielsen and cost guarantees.

In many of the above, only TV campaigns are verified, while Digital campaigns (the number 1 medium in Poland) are subject to very superficial verification.

A full qualitative and quantitative Digital audit is a rarity on the market, and in cases where such audits are carried out, they usually indicate a very large space for optimizing quality and cost.

There are still many advertisers in Poland, including very large ones, who have never used a media audit.

Methods and tools

The methods and tools used in media auditing vary depending on the channels and campaign objectives. In the case of media such as television, the audit focuses on analyzing GRP realization, reach, and confirmation of contractual quality solutions, as well as assessing the purchase cost (CPP) and is carried out based on data from the Nielsen Audience Measurement telemetry panel. In the case of an extended audit, which is carried out very sporadically, television specialists on the audit side can propose solutions that allow campaigns to be purchased at a lower cost or in a quality that allows better campaign goals to be achieved.

Digital Media Audit

In the case of Digital media, which is characterized by great complexity and variability, campaigns are verified with such metrics as CPM (Cost per Mille), CPC (Cost Per Click), CPA (Cost Per Acquisition), ROI (Return on Investment), conversions, or user engagement. However, unlike TV, these indicators do not have a single value and are measured and compared to campaign goals. This situation indicates the challenges of Digital auditing, but appropriate analytical techniques and benchmarks can ultimately achieve a much more objective picture of campaign results than is the case with TV.

The “Must-Have” for Advertisers

Media auditing, television, but above all Digital, should be a “must-have” for every company that wants to be sure that on the difficult, competitive market, advertising budgets are used in a way that ensures maximum return on investment, not giving in to competition through improper media budgets.