Selling Online Video Ads Is Becoming TV-Like, AOL Video Chief

Selling online video on the basis of total views, known as gross rating points (GRPs), common in the television business, will become increasingly important as consumers and the media stop differentiating between online video and other forms of video and view video holistically across platforms, says Ran Harnevo, SVP, Video, AOL On, in this interview with Beet.TVAOL recently formed a partnership with Nielsen to begin selling video based on GRPs.Selling in this fashion is important, Harnevo tells us in this interview, because it helps TV buyers have a common currency and familiar metrics of reach and frequency. With more video moving to connected TVs and other devices, publishers need to make video an easier purchase for TV buyers. "There may be other ways with more data, but in order to blend these industries that are already blending [online GRPs help," he says.He adds that AOL has already started running some campaigns that have been bought on online GRPs.Google has said it'll sell online ads on a GRP basis, while ad network Tremor Video also has an alliance with Nielsen to incorporate GRPs.Recently we spoke with Kelly Train of digital media shop PHD Media who says that the agency business is finally embracing GRPs as a means to buy onlilne video ads.

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