The Nielsen relationship will emphasize "gross ratings points" that multiplies the reach of an ad by the frequency that the audience sees it. Using gross ratings points instead of traditional online metrics like click-through rates and impressions will let marketers buy online ads the same way they buy ads for print, TV and online.
Nielsen announced Nielsen Online Campaign Ratings last September and plans to roll out the service on August 15. A Nielsen rep says that while Facebook is the first data provider for the service, Online Campaign Ratings isn't specific to any one site.
Last month Facebook also began working with comScore on a similar type of measurement system that aims to track reach and frequency, a comScore rep confirmed. That system also measures the efficacy of Facebook activity by gross ratings points. Meanwhile, Facebook is working on upgrading its own marketing tool, called Insights, which will also begin using GRPs.
Facebook is poised to take the number-one spot in U.S. display advertising revenues, according to eMarketer. Those figures, however, are at odds with estimates from IDC that peg Facebook's share of revenues at 8%.