Has Google had a change of heart regarding third-party, display ad verification services across its Google Display Network and DoubleClick Ad Exchange? For now, yes.
Today, ad verification and behavioral “i” icon provider DoubleVerify announced that it has received approval to run its services on the Google Display Network (GDN). In the press release, DoubleVerify claims that this is a significant new opportunity as “Verification was previously allowed on GDN inventory purchased directly from Google, but not on GDN inventory bought through Google’s ad exchange, until today.” Read more.
A Google spokesperson confirms the approval of DoubleVerify tech and adds that there are more ad verification solutions on the way:
“We’ve been running a test with DoubleVerify for some time and now they’re certified to run on GDN inventory. For those advertisers who want to use these or similar services, we think that having a choice of providers is a good thing. Without naming anyone specific, this is the same process we follow with all verification companies – a number are in the process of being tested. At the same time, we’re investing in our own cost-free services (including page-scanning technology and significant advertiser controls) to promote the safest possible brand experience on the network.”
As ad verification companies get and maintain traction with agency clients and trading desks, the ability to run across the growing pool of DoubleClick Ad Exchange RTB’d inventory would appear to be important. For Google, buy-side pressure from agencies and/or marketers to include ad verification solutions may have tipped the scales in favor of allowing third-party ad verification.
It will be interesting to see how the “cost-free” solution provided by Google disintermediates the ad verifiers from their clients, if at all.
By John Ebbert
