Nielsen Is Expanding Its Ad Measurement Service To YouTube's Mobile App

Nielsen said on Thursday that it is going to start measuring advertisements on YouTube's mobile app. Nielsen already uses its digital ad ratings service for Alphabet Inc.-owned YouTube's desktop and mobile web browsers, but will now include data and cross-device measurements of advertising audiences on YouTube's app as well. It's a necessary move for Nielsen's marketing clients as younger viewers increasingly watch content on mobile devices. YouTube's app is among the top-five free apps in the Apple Inc. App store. Nielsen will provide access to age and gender demographics for users viewing ads on YouTube's app, as well as reach frequency and gross rating points, which measures the size of an ad campaign. "As more people watch video across digital platforms and devices, Nielsen's comprehensive measurement of YouTube through digital ad ratings is crucial to provide a complete picture of media consumption," said David Wong, Nielsen's senior vice president of digital product leadership, in a statement. Nielsen Holdings Plc. shares have declined more than 11% in the year to date, while shares of Alphabet have gained more than 23% and the S&P 500 index has increased nearly 9%.