Sovrn recommends using any MRC (Media Rating Council)-accredited viewability measurement tool to track and improve the viewability of your ad inventory. MRC accreditation ensures the tool meets industry-accepted standards for accuracy and methodology, giving you data you can trust and that buyers will recognize.
What Is the MRC Viewability Standard?
The MRC defines a viewable display impression as at least 50% of the ad's pixels in view for a minimum of one continuous second (two seconds for video). Any accredited tool you use will measure against this standard, so your data is consistent and comparable across campaigns and partners.
Popular MRC-accredited options include Google Active View, Integral Ad Science (IAS), DoubleVerify but the right choice depends on your existing ad tech stack and what your partners support.
Why Viewability Matters for Revenue
Viewability directly impacts your CPMs. Buyers increasingly prioritize high-viewability inventory, and many programmatic campaigns set minimum viewability thresholds before bidding. Monitoring your scores and making improvements is one of the most effective ways to increase the value of your inventory.
Sovrn recommends targeting a viewability rate of 70% or higher across your placements. This is the threshold many premium programmatic buyers use to qualify inventory. Placements consistently below 50% should be reviewed for layout or positioning changes.
Tips for Improving Viewability
If your scores are lower than you'd like, placement changes typically have the biggest impact:
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Move ad units above the fold or into content where users spend more active reading time.
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Avoid placing ads in sidebars or footers where scroll depth tends to be low.
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Use sticky ad units where your layout allows — these hold viewability as users scroll.
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Reduce total ads per page. Fewer, better-placed ads with higher viewability will outperform a crowded layout with low visibility.
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