Key Concepts: Metrics and Dimensions

Watching That's platform is built around data which is expressed as either Metrics or Dimensions. Understanding these concepts is key to success with the platform.

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What are Metrics ?

Metrics are quantitive measures - like the count of total views, average watch time, fill rate etc.

Within Watching That all metrics map either directly or indirectly to the data sources that are connected to your account.

Typically these data sources are event streams - a continuous list of event records : ad requests, impressions, play request, clicks etc.

There are 4 Metric Types that are supported:

• Base Metrics: these metrics have a one to one link to the events that come in from your data sources. Eg. the Ad Request metric in Watching That is a direct count of all ad request event types received from the data sources. All other metric types build on the Base Metrics.

• Conditional Metrics: these metrics apply a condition to a Base metric. For example IVT Impressions is a metric in Watching That that applies the condition IVT is TRUE to the Base metric Impressions.

• Formulaic Metrics: these metrics are the output from a formula applied to one or more metrics. For example Fill Rate is a Formulaic metric because it's a calculation between two Base Metrics Impressions and Ad Requests.

• Custom Metrics: these metrics are defined to your specific requirements and are unique to your account. Contact you Watching That account manager to find out more.

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Tip: The Base metrics and, in turn, all other metrics you see in your account are limited by the data sources you have connected. If you want more metrics you need to enable more data sources.

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What are Dimensions ?

Dimensions are descriptive attributes of the data that provide context to and enable grouping/filtering of metrics.

Within Watching That dimensions are mapped directly to the data sources/event streams connected to your account.

Dimensions are sourced:

1. directly as either log level CSV files or as a pixel URL comprising of a set of Key Value pairs; or

2. indirectly via an enrichment step that calls system APIs with corresponding IDs embedded in the data source feed.

There are 2 Dimension Types supported in Watching That:

1. Source Dimensions - these are dimensions embedded in the data source and mapped one to one. For example in a log feed of CSVs a column is considered a dimension and mapped accordingly.

2. Derived Dimensions - these are synthetic dimensions created by the Watching That platform based on various conditions. For example, a "Is Clickable" dimension can be created for all site sections containing "clickable" in their title, allowing you to compare the performance of clickable ads against the rest.

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Example of Metrics and Dimensions

A typical setup for a customer that has enabled Freewheel V4 and Bids Logs as a data source has the following metrics and dimensions included:

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