Understanding Data Tracking and Filtration Methodologies for Ad Measurement

Data tracking refers to measuring and filtering impressions and clicks for ads on desktop and mobile platforms, including both web and application environments. 

Filtration methodology refers to the set of techniques and rules used to detect and remove invalid or low-quality traffic—like fake clicks or impressions—from being counted or billed in a digital advertising campaign.

Why is it important? 

Data tracking and filtration methodologies are crucial for ensuring the accuracy, reliability, and integrity of digital advertising campaigns on the Commerce Max platform. Here’s why they are important: 

1. Accuracy in Metrics 

   Impressions and Clicks: By accurately measuring and filtering impressions and clicks, Criteo ensures that the reported metrics reflect genuine user interactions. This helps you make informed decisions based on reliable data. 

2. Preventing Fraud 

   Invalid Traffic Detection: Techniques like General Invalid Traffic Detection (GIVT) and partnerships with services like Double Verify help identify and filter out non-human traffic, such as bots and automated clicks. This prevents ad fraud and ensures that advertisers are not billed for invalid traffic. 

3. Fair Billing 

   Multiple-Click-Per-Impression and Click Staleness: Rules like limiting billable clicks to 2 per ad impression within a 30-minute window and excluding clicks that occur after the staleness window help prevent overbilling and ensure fair charges. 

4. Brand Safety 

   Brand Safety Certification (BSC): Criteo’s certification ensures that ads are placed in safe and appropriate environments, protecting the brand's reputation and user experience. 

5. Transparency and Trust 

   Reporting and Analytics: You can view excluded invalid clicks in the Analytics tab of Commerce Max, providing transparency and building trust in the platform's reporting. 

6. Continuous Improvement 

   Quarterly Reviews and Real-Time Updates: Regular reviews and real-time updates to filtration methods ensure that the platform stays ahead of new forms of invalid traffic and maintains high standards. 

7. Compliance and Standards 

   MRC and TAG Certifications: Criteo’s adherence to industry standards and certifications from the Media Rating Council (MRC) and Trustworthy Accountability Group (TAG) ensures that the platform meets rigorous quality and performance benchmarks. 

By implementing robust data tracking and filtration methodologies, we help advertisers achieve their marketing goals with confidence, knowing that their campaigns are supported by accurate and reliable data. 

Who is it for? 

All users who use the Commerce Max platform

How do our data tracking, filtration methodologies, and partner qualifications work? 

This document outlines Criteo’s methods for measuring, filtering, and reporting impressions and clicks for display ads on desktop and mobile (both application and web). These methodologies apply to all onsite Criteo ad formats across all page types, such as Product, Search, Category/Taxonomy, Carousel, Home Page, and Add to Cart, and all Retailer implementation types (JavaScript and API) for Criteo Retail Media on Commerce Max only. 

Partner Qualification  

Criteo maintains Supply Partner Guidelines (https://www.criteo.com/supply-partner-guidelines/) and Advertiser Guidelines (https://www.criteo.com/advertising-guidelines/) to ensure high-quality supply and demand networks. Advertisers must have their products on the Retailer's site to serve ads through Commerce Max. While Criteo relies on the Retailer to implement functionality, Criteo conducts thorough tests to ensure complete integrations and implementations.

Filtration Methodology  

Criteo uses various methods to identify and filter out invalid click and impression traffic, which can be non-human or human. We use data from the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and Trustworthy Accountability Group (TAG) to detect non-human traffic. Criteo also blocks traffic from employee accounts, internal testing accounts, and internal IP addresses. The filtering rules are reviewed quarterly by an internal committee and adjusted as needed. Advertisers can view excluded Invalid Clicks in the Analytics tab of Commerce Max. 

The Criteo Engineering Team updates the filtration methods at a quarterly review cycle in addition to real-time updates if issues are uncovered or new standards are needed. The filtration methods are as follows: 

• Decision Rate: Criteo traffic receives significant information to apply a 100% invalid traffic decision rate on activity. 

• Multiple-click-per-impression: Criteo limits billable clicks to 2 clicks per ad impression on ads generated from Commerce Max. This includes a lookback window of 30 minutes after the initial impression. Any clicks outside the limit are no longer considered valid and are excluded from billing. 

• Click staleness: A click is considered invalid if the time between the ad impression and the click is more than the impression-staleness window. These invalid clicks are no longer considered valid and are excluded from billing. 

• User Frequency Capping: Criteo will limit the frequency of all ads (across advertisers) that can be served to specific users. The frequency caps employed are proprietary and not disclosed.  

• Upfront Filtration: Criteo leverages upfront filtration to detect invalid traffic and exclude it. Upfront filtration techniques include industry-standard techniques like blocklists from endpoints deemed risky.  

• IAB/ABCe International Spiders & Robots List: The IAB/ABCe International Spiders & Robots List is used to identify and remove community-known bots.  

• Activity-Based Filtration: Criteo tracks user events and activity frequency to determine commercial intent and invalidates traffic (both impressions and clicks) that fails to meet a minimum level of quality as assessed through these techniques.

Click measurement methodology  

Criteo Retail Media uses the “In-Unit Click” reporting methodology for measurement.  According to the IAB Measurement Guidelines (https://www.iab.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/click-measurement-guidelines2009.pdf), this type of click represents measurement of user-initiated actions on Advertisements, but, in contrast to a 'click' or 'click-through', an in-unit click does not lead to a redirect from the publisher.   Retail Media clicks can take the user to another page on the Publisher site, but do not redirect the user to a different web location.

Impression measurement methodology  

Criteo counts an impression when the placement or product is loaded and begins to render on the retailer page.   

Since Criteo ads are native/organic and called by Retailer sites for placement, Criteo relies on the Retailer to implement the necessary beacons according to the appropriate guidelines.  However, as an added assurance, Criteo conducts periodic testing to ensure that guidelines are being met.  Criteo also maintains specific Supply Partner Guidelines (found here - https://www.criteo.com/supply-partner-guidelines/) to ensure the operation of the highest-quality supply network.

Data Logging, Processing, and Reissuance  

Each call to Criteo delivery servers generates a logging event that is processed through the data pipeline and is then stored in the Criteo data warehouse. Criteo validates that all required information is contained in the event. These events are then available in the Commerce Max reporting service.  

If Criteo detects issues that impact advertiser spend or data, we follow established investigative and escalation processes to determine the overall impact and potential credits or refunds for advertisers.  These are done on a case-by-case basis and are communicated to the impacted advertisers by Criteo’s customer service teams.  In these cases, data can be reprocessed to provide correct billing and reporting metrics.  

Media Rating Council Invalid Traffic (IVT) Reporting Columns  

Please note that Criteo does not use the standard Media Rating Council Invalid Traffic reporting columns. Please refer to the table below for how you can map the click quality reporting columns used in Criteo’s Commerce Max to the Media Rating Council Invalid Traffic reporting column equivalent.  

Cache-busting techniques  

To minimize undercounting due to caching, Criteo Retail Media uses expiry, unique string assignments, and cache-control headers.

Known Limitations

Since Criteo ads are native/organic and called by Retailer sites for placement, Criteo and the Retailer implement the necessary beacons according to the appropriate guidelines.  As an added assurance, Criteo also conducts periodic testing to ensure that guidelines are being met. Criteo also maintains specific Supply Partner Guidelines (found here - https://www.criteo.com/supply-partner-guidelines/) to ensure the operation of the highest-quality supply network.