Danielle O'Connell, Vice President, Client Development
At a time when the distribution of health and safety information to patients and physicians has become more critical, point-of-care marketing is taking on an increasingly important role. As messaging in this channel grows, so does the need for accountability.
Audits have long been a staple in traditional media and are becoming more important in point-of-care channels as advertisers demand greater assurance. Third-party audits bring a higher level of transparency by providing proof that the media provider has been vetted and is adhering to industry standards.
In this except from our Point-of-Care Audit Guide for Media Buyers, we discuss the specific benefits audits provide both buyers and sellers, and how they bring greater transparency to each transaction.
Four Benefits of Point-of-Care Media Audits
There are many benefits of third-party audits for marketers and media providers. Here we outline four:
- Assurance: Third-party audits are conducted in accordance with industry guidelines and best practices to ensure the numbers used to transact are compliant. Audits help make trusted media partners stand out from the rest and reduce the risk of wasting ad spend on unaudited channels.
- Confidence: A third-party audit opens doors between buyers and sellers who agree that trust is the foundation for any transaction. A POC media provider that demonstrates its commitment to providing audited data instills greater confidence in media buys.
- Proof: Media audits provide buyers with proof that their campaigns are meeting the expectations outlined in the contract. Purchasing through unaudited channels only increases the risk of ad spend being wasted on media that doesn’t deliver expected results.
- Trust: Audits strengthen relationships between buyers and sellers by giving media buyers confidence that an audited company is a trustworthy partner. The more POC media providers that are audited, the stronger and more transparent the entire ecosystem becomes.
Steps to Promote Transparency
There are several steps buyers and media providers can take to foster greater transparency in point-of-care media.
- Communicate the importance of audits. Media buyers can discuss the importance they place on audits by letting their media partners know that audited channels are prioritized in media buys. Media providers can share why they participate in audits and educate advertisers about the value of investing in audited channels.
- Add audits to RFPs. Media buyers can add third-party verification as a requirement in all point-of-care media contracts.
- Participate in industry groups. Buyers and media providers can work together to help set verification standards by participating in industry groups and councils.
- Proof of quality. POC media companies can promote their audit by displaying the AAM logo or Point of Care Marketing Association (POCMA) certification seal as a signal of quality. Media buyers should look for these logos and partner with media companies that are audited and certified.
- Stay connected. Both buyers and sellers can sign up for AAM emails for notifications of new audits and industry news.
To learn more about the point-of-care audit process, download AAM’s Point-of-Care Audit Guide for Media Buyers.
