With a new year comes a new raft of predictions for what might unfold within it. PerformanceIN has been speaking with marketing experts in a number of disciplines to gauge their thoughts on what could make 2016 a groundbreaking year for their space. 

In this piece, Andrew Buckman, Managing Director EMEA, OpenX, predicts that cross-screen measurement will improve.

In 2016, the industry can expect to see the beginnings of the next stage of programmatic evolution. Not only will adoption increase — UK programmatic digital ad spend is estimated to reach £2.5 billion next year — but programmatic will also reach a new level of sophistication.
 
Consumers increasingly see the online experience as unified as they engage with content across a number of devices simultaneously. 

This consolidated approach means advertisers need to plan integrated digital campaigns that take into account the multi-screen habits of consumers. Ads need to work across a variety of screens, from large display to in-app, to capture and maintain the user’s attention.
 
Automated cross-screen campaigns have become the norm for digital advertising. In fact, Google found that search ads are 16% more effective when cross-device measurement techniques are utilised.
 
The ability to follow a user’s journey across a number of screens provides marketers with valuable insight into the elements of a campaign that deliver the best results. Yet measurement has so far not equalled the progress of programmatic ad delivery, which makes it difficult for advertisers to gauge the performance of their cross-screen efforts.
 
In 2016 we expect to see the launch of new technology to better track users across devices. Already leading the way in cross-screen measurement is comScore, who this year released the Video Metrix Multi-Platform to measure video impact across desktop, mobile, tablet, and OTT.
 
The technology has the ability to calculate cross-screen audience engagement, which allows companies to capture consumer attention across devices, and provides deep insight into analysing audience data. The platform offers reporting on over 300,000 media entities, including demographic composition, engagement, and behavioural trends.  
 
We predict the industry to follow suit and cross-screen ad measurement will become more advanced to offer advertisers greater transparency and build trust in multi-screen capabilities.
 
In a world where the average consumer owns three devices, cross-screen advertising campaigns have become mainstream in digital advertising. Yet measurement capabilities have fallen behind, making it difficult for advertisers to ascertain the success of their campaigns. 

In 2016, we expect to see cross-screen measurement develop, to enable brands to deliver the intended audience with targeted and engaging ads.