Following a survey that found Singapore to be severely lacking in effective ad metrics, IAB's local chapter has called on ad tech vendors to reach an agreement for digital measurement and for marketers to start educating themselves.

Without a proper measurement framework, distrust between brands and agencies, as well as vendors, will continue to play out and the gap between marketers and consumers will widen, says Peter Hubert, who is co-chair of IAB Singapore's Measurement and Standards Committee and also LinkedIn Marketing Solutions' Asia-Pacific head of insights. In this Q&A with ExchangeWire, he also points to ad metrics on mobile platforms as an area in which Singapore should take a lead on the global stage.

ExchangeWire: How does Singapore's digital ad measurement level compare with other markets in Asia-Pacific, as well as the US and UK?

Peter Hubert: Singapore's digital advertising measurements levels are significantly behind the US, UK, and Australia, mostly in the attribution, content, and social media segments. It is on par with Hong Kong and slightly ahead of the rest of Southeast Asia. There are, of course, pockets of elevated insight in each of these markets, from which Singapore is learning.

Is the lack of sophisticated ad measurement on mobile a bigger challenge here due to the high mobile penetration?

It isn't necessarily a bigger challenge, but it should be a bigger priority. Mobile has evolved faster than measurement capabilities in the region. Higher levels of content consumption and search queries on mobile devices make understanding mobile's impact a must for marketers. Singapore should be leading this portion of ad measurement, attribution, and cross-platform impact for the globe.

According to IAB's recent survey of Singapore marketers, 88% said the metrics they used were not effective enough in measuring campaign performance against business objectives. What are some key challenges ad tech tools have not been able to resolve that have led to this ineffectiveness?

Key challenges can often involve identifying business objectives in the first place before aligning appropriate measures to these outcomes. This is compounded by the sheer volume and diversity of metrics available from the various tools available in the market. As a result, we often see an over-reliance on what has already been done and a reluctance to try something new.

How should marketers here go about plugging these gaps?

Education is key. The onus is on marketers to undertake education from two perspectives. First, they need to educate themselves and take accountability for incorporating a digital mindset into their day-to-day. They also need to be responsible for clearly articulating their objectives and to help partners meet those needs. Second, they have to educate their business. One of the biggest challenges involves convincing senior management and procurement the merits of digital. Marketers need to take the initiative and use some of the many materials at their disposal to invest in their company's future. Digital will be a critical pillar of every marketing agenda sooner than they might think.

If left unresolved, what impact will the lack of measurement have on Singapore's digital media market?

Without a robust measurement paradigm, there will be continued distrust in the relationships between brands, agencies, and platforms. The digital media market will continue to grow, but the gap between marketers and users will widen as consumers will not change their digital adoption habits to meet brands marketing collateral. They want to be engaged on their terms.

What do ad tech vendors need to do to help marketers gain better insights?

As a starting point, it is necessary to come to some level of agreement or a common language for digital measurement. This does not have to be the 'shiny stuff' like econometric modelling, but rather about getting back to basics. They need to use case studies and known examples to help demonstrate a simplified, standardised measurement framework that helps marketers link their activity back to business objectives.

What kind of industry standards need to be established to improve mobile tracking and ad measurement?

There is a clear need for effective ad unit standards in mobile measurement to assist with both basic tracking as well as more sophisticated attribution methodology. One of the key future developments in Singapore will need to be around managing the multiscreen environment to build more effective user profiles.

How is IAB Singapore working to resolve these issues?

The Measurement & Standards Committee for IAB Singapore has prioritised building some foundational material in order to upskill and empower the widest audience with regards to digital marketing measurement. Such efforts include creating a series of snackable, bite-size content pieces aimed at educating those outside the digital marketing world on the advantages of measurement in a digital world.

We're also developing a 'Measurement 101' playbook that outlines key steps marketers need to take to create an effective and sustainable digital measurement framework for their brand. In addition, we're establishing baselines standards and metrics for key digital channels in Singapore: social, video, content, mobile, and cross-platform.