YouTube restructures measurement programme, lists new partners

YouTube has recategorised its YouTube Measurement Partner Program (YTMP) into three groups - brand suitability and contextual targeting, brand safety reporting, and content insights. YTMP was launched in 2017 to offer advertisers a variety of trusted independent solutions for driving and measuring marketing performance on YouTube.

Along with the reorganisation, YTMP listed four new partners for its brand suitability and contextual targeting category - Integral Ad Science, Sightly, VuePlanner and Channel Factory. As a YTMP partner, they will receive training resources, technical support, and product tools to continue enhancing their YouTube offering. Separately, Sightly added that its advertisers will also receive new metrics to help them target content that is most likely to produce desired reach, branding or action outcomes, as well as context-based persona targeting. Meanwhile, IAS was also listed under the brand safety reporting category alongside DoubleVerify. Existing partners of YTMP include Tubular Labs, Zefr, Pixability and Wizdeo. 

Laura Quigley, MD SEA, IAS said through its work with YouTube, it incorporates the power of machine learning and human review to help advertisers reach customers on the platform in brand-safe environments. 

"With challenges, brands are facing with COVID-19, brand suitability is more important than ever in enabling continuity of business online for brands to advertise with confidence. This programme aligns IAS’s product roadmap with YouTube, and puts us at the forefront of building innovative solutions that move the industry forward," she added. Separately, IAS has been a member of Google's Measurement Partner programme since 2018.

Sightly's chief revenue officer and GM, Adam Katz, said this is "a major advantage" for all of its clients. "We've enjoyed our partnership with Google for a long time now. Google's expanded YTMP programme will provide Sightly and its clients the ability to drive outcomes in the right content even further through innovative technology and products," he added.

Meanwhile, Channel Factory's CEO and founder, Tony Chen, said it is very excited to partner with YouTube to create innovative solutions that will help advertisers drive maximum business outcome through brand suitability, contextual alignment, and cost efficiencies. John Cobb, VuePlanner's CEO added that recognition by YouTube as a trusted partner for driving marketing performance on YouTube is a testament to the solution VuePlanner delivers to brands and its agencies.

Separately, YouTube recently backtracked on its COVID-19 monetisation ban, saying that due to the ongoing nature of the pandemic, it will begin enabling ads for content discussing the coronavirus on a limited number of channels. This includes creators who accurately self-certify and a range of news partners, with more channels to follow. The company is also removing videos that draw links between the COVID-19 pandemic and 5G technology, according to multiple media reports including CNN and The Guardian.

Marketing's Content 360 conference is going virtual, and will bring together industry leaders to discuss challenges and share insights on future content marketing trends, as well as successful strategies to help tackle the complex marketing landscape. Sign up here!

Related articles:

Google allocates US$340m ad credits for SMEs, offers WHO ad grants
Google: Brands need to leverage APAC customers’ expectations for community, commerce, and inclusivity
YouTube said to remove videos linking 5G to COVID-19 pandemic
YouTube backtracks on COVID-19 monetisation ban placed on creators
IAS study: 68% of Singaporeans hold brands accountable for content next to ad
IAS acquires contextual ad provider ADmantX to bolster tech suite
Publishers and agencies in Asia tackle brand safety amidst COVID-19