'Critical measurement
for a new economy'

comScore has expanded its audience measurement service to include audience tracking for widgets, embedded videos and other "viral" content. Clients can add tags to URL query strings and embed beacons on every page, enabling them to track where content is posted.

Extended Web also includes gross ratings point equivalency metrics for online media, and the ability to measure publisher ad packages — which enable advertisers to gauge the reach of a certain segment of a website before they make an ad buy.

Finally, a GRP equivalency metric enables users to "plan the digital channel against the same reach benchmarks that many of our clients use in their traditional media efforts, according to VP Gerard Broussard of media at Group M.

These services are now available to comScore clients worldwide. Read more about them and find out how the technology works.

In April 2007, widgets reached 178 million users globally, according to comScore. And while the medium looked promising, it wasn't immediately clear how widgets could be monetized. In January 2008, comScore announced plans to begin tracking Javascript-based widgets.