The Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) highlighted the growing importance of digital content this week when it released its first audit report specifically for e-newsletters.
ABC’s interactive unit, ABCi, had offered multimedia reports that include e-newsletter information, but this report, for Advertising Age, is the first to focus solely on a publisher’s combined e-newsletter products. Previous e-newsletter audits appeared on Consolidated Media Reports or Multimedia Publisher’s Statements.
“Especially for business publications, e-newsletters are an important part of an overall brand,” said Kammi Altig, manager, communications, for ABC. “These reports are something they can use to show their advertisers what their e-newsletter product is all about and the reach they’re getting with e-newsletters. They can use that as a selling point because all the information is verified, which should give advertisers confidence to buy.”
ABC also offers Consolidated Media Reports and Multimedia Publisher’s Statements, which show a brand’s audience data from multiple platforms. These reports are available to, and used by, business and consumer publishers, but, according to Altig, business publications are really the main adopters.
“Right now we’re seeing the most interesting multimedia reporting from business publications, which have always been at the forefront of this movement,” she said. “They were the first to develop Consolidated Media Reports, and, especially this year with the e-newsletter audit, business publications have really been a big driver behind ABC’s multimedia reporting.”
She added that ABC had already issued six different multimedia statements for business publications this year and expects more to be released for the June period, which recently wrapped.
ABC has also moved into multimedia reporting for newspapers, releasing the first newspaper Consolidated Media Report, showing data on print and online products for the Chicago Tribune last month.
