TransUnion adds YouTube measurement tool

TransUnion and Google said on May 20 they added YouTube advertising measurement to TransUnion’s multi-touch attribution platform, giving marketers a way to compare YouTube against other channels in one system. The companies said the tool lets advertisers connect YouTube ad exposure to business outcomes inside TransUnion’s Multi-Touch Attribution product. U.S. Bank participated in an early pilot, according to TransUnion. The announcement was published in TransUnion’s newsroom on Wednesday and separately reported by The Desk. ### What exactly did TransUnion add? TransUnion said the new capability measures YouTube advertising within its MTA platform rather than as a stand-alone reporting stream. The company described it as an “industry-first capability” and said marketers can evaluate YouTube performance relative to the rest of their media mix. (newsroom.transunion.com) Google was named as the partner in the rollout. TransUnion said the collaboration is meant to bring YouTube measurement into a unified attribution framework so advertisers can compare results across channels using one model. ### Why does YouTube measurement matter to advertisers already using attribution tools? (newsroom.transunion.com) YouTube is already measured in several Google products, but the new arrangement puts those signals inside TransUnion’s attribution workflow. Google’s existing marketing documentation says advertisers can track de-duplicated conversions and enhanced video metrics across parts of Google Marketing Platform. (newsroom.transunion.com) TransUnion framed the change as a way to tie YouTube exposure to business outcomes and budget decisions. In its announcement, the company said the integration helps advertisers evaluate YouTube alongside the rest of their media mix, rather than in a separate reporting environment. ### Which companies tested it first? (support.google.com) U.S. Bank was identified by TransUnion as a participant in the pilot. The company said the bank took part in a test program to evaluate YouTube inside a unified attribution framework. Melissa Stewart, senior vice president and head of marketing for payments, consumer and small business at U.S. (newsroom.transunion.com) Bank, said in the TransUnion release that “data-driven marketers start their channel selection with measurement in mind.” The Desk reported the early pilot involved more than 15 customers across several industries. ### Is this part of a broader TransUnion marketing push? TransUnion markets its TruAudience business as a set of identity, audience, analytics and data-collaboration tools for advertisers. Its product pages say the company’s marketing solutions are designed to help clients optimize media budgets, audience targets and placements. The YouTube addition fits into that broader marketing analytics business. (newsroom.transunion.com) TransUnion’s analytics materials say its tools are aimed at improving return on investment and reducing wasted spend across the customer journey. ### What happens next? May 20 is the date TransUnion and Google publicly announced the capability. The Desk reported that U.S. Bank planned to release public findings from its pilot, though no publication date was given in the materials reviewed. (transunion.com) TransUnion said the capability is available through its Multi-Touch Attribution offering. (transunion.com) Marketers using that product can now assess YouTube campaign performance inside the same attribution framework they use for other channels, according to the company. (newsroom.transunion.com) (thedesk.net)