Total Telecom, which serves the global communications industry both online and in print, has becoming the first UK based media title to publish BPA monthly audited web traffic data alongside its magazine’s print circulation on a single audit certificate.   The report covers Total Telecom magazine, which provides commentary and analysis on both the fixed and mobile communications markets, targeting carriers and service providers as well as end users, vendors, and resellers of telecommunications technology and services, as well as totaltele.com, which offers breaking news, archives and research reports.   The report shows that the magazine had a total qualified circulation of 20,078; and the web site recorded 188,260 average monthly page impressions from an average of 55,018 unique browsers.

The Total Telecom website was relaunched in February 2009 and has recorded a 26% rise in page impressions and 46% rise in unique browsers between March and June 2009. The average user session is 2 minutes 46 seconds spent on the site.   There is real value in reporting online traffic and print circulation together, explains Fran Costello of media buying, planning and engagement agency mediaedge:cia.   “The joint statement provides the media planner with an overall view of those who can potentially see their client’s message. It makes it easier to analyse and compare when all the details are provided together.   There is undoubtedly a demand on the part of planners as it can only make their job easier and more convenient. The key to moving forward in this direction are the advertisers. It may be that with the current economic crisis, some advertisers will be less insistent on getting clear information from independently controlled sources.”   This is a sentiment echoed by Mike Jarvis, International Media Director of integrated marketing agency, Banner:   “As the media marketplace, in which both publishers and ourselves operate, continues to diversify and fragment it is becoming increasingly important to have data that is homologous and consistent across media types to enable true analysis of cross media platforms leading to both innovate and cost effective media solutions. We would hope that this is the start of a trend across the B2B marketplace that the other publishers will soon follow”    Rob Chambers, Publisher of Total Telecom, commented:   “We wanted to apply the BPA stamp of authority on both our print and online audience. Online especially is still a relatively unregulated world, surprisingly poorly understood by advertisers; we wanted to draw a line in the sand and say that we were being totally transparent about our figures, issuing numbers that advertisers can trust. We want to challenge our competitors to be as open about their figures. Most advertisers wouldn't use a magazine without an audit, so why use a website based on numbers only the publisher assures you are true?  The advantage of print and digital figures appearing on one statement is to create the obvious link between the two media and encourage more advertisers to think cross platform.”  

“Around the world more and more media owners are recognising the importance of standardised and reliable measurement of audience reach within the interactive marketplace,” comments Stuart Wilkinson, BPA Worldwide’s Managing Director for EMEA. “The numbers are growing all the time as demand from the market increases and we expect to see an increasing move towards combined reporting as media owners seek to convey an accurate, independently audited picture of their property’s total audience reach.”