Media Guru Question:
I am a new digital buyer. It has been suggested that I only buy viewable (above the fold) impressions for my next campaign. Can I buy such impressions from everyone and what is the premium?
Media Guru Answer:
“Above the fold” is an old newspaper concept, referring to the part of the page visible on a folded, stacked broadsheet (NY Times / USA Today size) newspaper.
The concept has come to refer to the portion of a web page visible when a user first lands on the page, before there is any scrolling.
The validity derives from the fact that all ad-units on a page are credited with impressions, even though they might not be visible immediately. Their opportunity to score a click is reduced.
However, there are other considerations:
 

• The users’ window size setting and type size setting increase or reduce what eventually is above the fold.
• Web sites typically rotate ads through the page positions, so that being consistently below the fold is not such a problem.
• Larger units are more likely to be above the fold.
• Being adjacent to specific content which might be lower on the page might well outweigh abstract page position

 
The Guru would not generalize to say that “above the fold” buys are always available. When available, they are likely to have a premium attached or be part of volume negotiations. Pay-per-click deals can also obviate page position concerns, but again, there would be a premium involved.

Media Guru Question:
My supervisor has assigned me to draft the media strategy and tactics for a digital element for our client’s plan. But I hear click rates are low. What are average click rates and why are they low?
Media Guru Answer:
What does “low” mean? Click rates today generally average under 0.2%. Part of this is the great number of inexpensive impressions generated on broad general sites like Yahoo, AOL, Facebook, where the percent of those exposed to any given ad who might actually be interested enough to click is relatively low compared to targeted DRTV or Direct Mail.
 
To what can we compare this to decide it’s low?

 
A click is an action by a member of the audience you have reached that expresses interest in your product or the offer in your ad.

 
When you advertise by direct mail or in tv direct response, what is the comparable response rate and at what cost?

 
What do the impressions of direct mail or DR TV cost you? The true test is comparing cost per click or response.

Media Guru Question:

What is a GRP (Gross Rating Point)?

Media Guru Answer:

Gross rating points (abbreviated GRP)

• Impressions within a demographic category ÷ population universse for that demographic,
• Ratings x # of ads.  or
• the sum of all the ads’ ratings

Click here to see over 500 past Guru responses about GRP