Impression count method

  1. Available impression count methods
  2. How accounting for viewability works
  3. Report terminology

The impression count method determines which event means the banner impression. You can't change the impression count method after adding a campaign.

Available impression count methods

The impression count method is set at several levels: for the entire account and for a campaign.

When you create a campaign, the following impression count method is predefined:

  • Banner ad response (by default): An impression is counted when the banner code is returned in response to a request from the site page.
  • Viewable impression, Yandex (IMS): An impression is counted only if at least 50% of the banner area is in the active browser window for at least 2 seconds. Learn more about viewability counting
  • Event 1: An impression is counted when event 1 (event_1) is called in the banner that's already uploaded to the site.
  • Impression (IMS): An impression counts when ad rendering begins.
  • Viewable impression (IMS): Impressions are counted according to the international media standards criteria, that is, the minimum percentage of pixels in the viewable area and the duration in the active browser tab. Learn more about viewability counting
Important. The impression count methods Impression (IMS), Viewable impression (IMS), and Viewable impression, Yandex (IMS) are available only for direct placements, that is, for campaigns without external monetization.

To ensure correct anti-fraud actions and viewability counts with these methods, use ad tage with the context.js library on your site and select an “IMS”  template when adding banners to your campaign.

Impression count example

A campaign with calculation by event 2.

There's a video banner where event 2 is the video playback start by clicking play.

When the site page loads, a banner request is sent to the Adfox server. In response to the request, Adfox returns the banner code and the banner appears on the site (code loading is counted).

When the user clicks play, event 2 is requested. At this point, the statistics increase for event 2 and for the number of impressions.

If the event isn't triggered, the impression isn't counted for the campaign.

How accounting for viewability works

For campaigns based on Viewable impression, Yandex (IMS) and Viewable impression (IMS) methods, you can use viewability tracking. This tracking works under the following conditions:

  • For banner ads, ad tags with the context.js library are used on the placement.
  • Banners are added using “IMS”  templates.
  • The campaign uses Viewable impression (IMS) or Viewable impression, Yandex (IMS) as its impression count method.

Viewability criteria both for Yandex and international media standards methods are given in the table:

Impression count method Banner ads Large banner ads

(> 970 × 250 px)

Video ads
Viewable impression, Yandex (IMS) 50% of the banner area is in the active browser window for at least 2 seconds 30% of the banner area is in the active browser window for at least 2 seconds
  • At least 50% of the player is in the user's viewable area for at least 2 seconds.
  • The minimum player size for the desktop version of the site is 320 × 180 pixels.
Viewable impression (IMS) 50% of the banner area is in the active browser window for at least 1 second 30% of the banner area is in the active browser window for at least 1 second At least 50% of the player is in the user's viewable area for at least 2 seconds.
Note. If the active browser window includes less than the specified area of the banner or player, but the user clicked on it and this click is counted by the system, then the viewable impression is also counted. This rule is valid for both methods.

To learn more about indicators available when selecting methods regarding viewability, see IMS indicators.

Report terminology

If the impression count method for campaigns is available in your account:

  • A Banner ad responses column is added to all reports.
  • The Unfilled impressions column is renamed Unfilled ad responses.

Banner ad responses: Counted when the server returns the banner code to the browser or app in response to an ad request.

Impressions: The ad impression recorded by the system for the event that you selected in the impression count method.

By default, Banner ad response is considered an impression. Because of this, if the module is enabled but you didn't redefine the default value for any campaign, the statistics in the Banner ad responses and Impressions columns match.

Unfilled ad responses: The number of code requests for which backup ad impressions were made.

Clicks: Clicks on a commercial campaign link or banner that lead to the advertiser's site page.

Unfilled clicks: Clicks on the backup ad that lead to the advertiser's site page.

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