Audience Planning
Part of Gaming audience planning
Checking Australian reach in a gaming inventory proposal
Audit an Australian gaming reach forecast by checking its location rule, reach unit, inventory coverage, overlap and delivery report.
Before accepting an Australian reach estimate, check three things: the rule that makes an ad opportunity Australian, the unit counted as reach, and the games and placements included. A global player total, an Australia-targeting setting and a forecast of distinct Australian recipients are different claims.
Label the forecast
Ask the seller to restate the headline figure with a unit and period: distinct people, accounts, households or devices expected to receive counted impressions during the proposed dates. A unique reach figure should state whether it counts people, households or devices, because those units are not interchangeable. If the proposal gives only impressions, it has not supplied unique reach, because the same unit may receive more than one impression.
Ask how the estimate was made: previous delivery in the named inventory, modelled availability or a broader player total? Find out when the inputs were collected and whether they reflect the proposed devices, targeting and dates. A forecast is an estimate, not proof of future delivery.
Critical metrics in a reach forecast
- Forecast unit
- Distinct people, households, accounts or devices
- Reporting period
- Proposed campaign dates
- Geography treatment
- How missing or conflicting location signals are resolved
Inspect the Australian rule
Ask which signal determines Australian eligibility and when it is assessed. A device-location observation, account country and stored home location can describe different populations.
Location data can describe a current, home, work or last-known location, so ask which one each field represents. Source, recency, accuracy and precision all affect how much weight a signal deserves, and a precise value alone does not establish where a player is when an ad is delivered.
Find out how missing, stale or conflicting signals are treated, and whether the same geography rule is used in the forecast, targeting and delivery report. If different methods are used, request an explanation of how their results can be compared.
How different signals define Australian eligibility
- Device-location observation
- Current location based on real-time GPS or IP; may reflect temporary presence.
- Account country
- Country set during registration; may not reflect current location.
- Stored home location
- User-defined or inferred long-term residence; more stable but potentially outdated.
Inspect the inventory and overlap
Request the games or apps, devices, placements and formats behind the estimate, and confirm which lines are available to this campaign under its proposed rules. A forecast based on all of a game's players is not an estimate for one ad placement.
Ask whether the same person, account or device can appear in several title forecasts. Separate reach figures cannot be added into one unique total without a credible method for removing overlap. If the seller measures device reach only, retain that label.
A useful proposal note records the Australian eligibility rule, treatment of unknown geography, forecast unit and period, named inventory, data source and overlap method. It also notes reporting gaps.
Agree on the delivery check
Before booking, ask what report can show Australian impressions and distinct reach under the agreed definitions. Request outside-Australia and unclassified geography separately where available, and agree on the reporting time zone.
After launch, compare reported inventory, dates and geography with the proposal. Investigate differences before attributing them to forecast error, changed supply or measurement coverage.
If the required Australian audience condition cannot be supported, narrow the claim or change the proposed inventory. Do so before making the buying decision.
