PubMatic’s Q4 2016 Quarterly Mobile Index (QMI) reveals a nearly 50X YOY increase in header bidding monetized impressions globally
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – PubMatic, the automation solutions company for an open digital media industry, released its Q4 2016 Quarterly Mobile Index (QMI) report, which identifies major trends in programmatic mobile advertising, with highlights around header bidding, private marketplaces (PMPs) and shifting dynamics between mobile web and mobile app monetization.
“In 2016, we saw header bidding mature from a desktop innovation to a ubiquitous method of digital advertising transaction for both desktop and mobile web around the globe”
Building upon the findings from its Q3 2016 Quarterly Mobile Index, PubMatic’s most recent QMI analysis found that mobile monetized header bidding impressions grew nearly 50X year-over-year in Q4 2016. By the end of 2016, header-bidding-enabled mobile impressions accounted for more than 75% of PubMatic’s total impression pool.
“In 2016, we saw header bidding mature from a desktop innovation to a ubiquitous method of digital advertising transaction for both desktop and mobile web around the globe,” said Rajeev Goel, Co-Founder & CEO at PubMatic. “The introduction of innovations like header bidding to mobile app monetization over the course of 2017 will continue to increase the impact of this ad decisioning tactic on publishers’ monetization strategies by bringing the same benefits—higher eCPMs and a more competitive landscape for publishers and greater access to premium inventory for buyers—to even the mobile app ecosystem. We’re looking forward to continuing to work with our publishers and media buying partners to help them navigate these changes as they take place.”
In Q4 2016, mobile PMP impression volume grew more than 200% year-over-year, reaching a global all time high, while eCPMs nearly doubled, with automotive and technology verticals driving that growth.
The data from PubMatic’s Q4 2016 QMI also highlights notable changes in mobile web and mobile app monetization. Mobile web remained the leading source of monetization for premium publishers, representing 66% of mobile impression volume in 2016. Mobile app paid impression volume increased at a faster rate over the year, and though a gap still remains between the two in terms of monetized impression volume, mobile apps garnered a 59% eCPM premium in Q4 2016.
Despite the Americas’ leadership position in global mobile monetization, APAC (the smallest market for mobile monetization) saw the fastest growth in monetized mobile impressions (124% YOY) in Q4 2016. The EMEA region experienced the highest annual growth rate in mobile inventory price, with eCPMs rising 122% over the same period.
Additional findings from PubMatic’s Q4 2016 QMI report are available via PubMatic’s website by clicking here.
QMI Methodology
By analyzing the billions of digital impressions that flow through the PubMatic platform each day, PubMatic can observe real-time developments in the mobile space that allude to broader digital industry trends. The company can then compare this information to other published data to further understand changes in the mobile landscape. PubMatic is committed to providing best-in-class mobile tools and services, and believes that information sharing is crucial in aligning the digital industry towards best practices and, ultimately, growth in mobile advertising.
The scope of this QMI report has been expanded from a quarterly analysis of Q4 2016 to a full calendar year analysis (Q1 2016 – Q4 2016), and adds several benchmarks for mobile advertising performance around pricing, volume and growth.
About PubMatic
PubMatic is the automation solutions company for an open digital media industry. Featuring the leading omni-channel revenue automation platform for publishers and enterprise-grade programmatic tools for media buyers, PubMatic’s publisher-first approach enables advertisers to access premium inventory at scale. Processing nearly one trillion ad impressions per month, PubMatic has created a global infrastructure to activate meaningful connections between consumers, content and brands. Since 2006, PubMatic’s focus on data and technology innovation has fueled the growth of the programmatic industry as a whole. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, PubMatic operates 11 offices and six data centers worldwide.
PubMatic is a registered trademark of PubMatic, Inc. Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
This press release and the QMI may contain inaccuracies, and the QMI is based on operational data that has not been audited or reviewed by a third party. They may contain forward-looking statements about future results and other events that have not yet occurred. Actual results may differ materially from PubMatic’s expressed expectations due to future risks and uncertainties. PubMatic does not intend to update the information contained in this press release or the QMI if any information or statement contained herein or therein is or later turns out to be inaccurate.
