Engagement is Not the Answer

There is increasing noise among the marketing and advertising communities that ‘engagement’ is the measure by which we can determine on-line ROI (especially for video). I fundamentally disagree.

Engagement is a state of being that necessitates physical presence. Take playtime with my daughter. She can tell the difference between me truly being engaged in the play, vs. going through the motions. How does she determine this- by observation and interaction.

How can you do the same in the electronic world of bits and bytes? Until everyone on a system (mobile, laptop, desktop, other) is monitored by a video camera real time, the data is just not good enough.

Did we ever try to measure ‘engagement’ as a metric for television advertising? While I was not around in the beginning of the TV days, I have never heard that metric being used. Computers exposose us to the same risks… getting up to get another beverage, paying attention to something else (like another application/website), or generally tuning out while the clip is playing. In the end to get by these uncontrollable factors advertising/marketing relies on reach and frequency. Then a little roll of the dice to determine impact.

Internet marketing/advertising does help reduce the magic die outcome. It enables us to measure ROI – click-through, purchase, etc. Bottom line, fundamental metrics remain the same--- enough reach and frequency translates to outcomes--- sales. The measure is not engagement.

What is the outcome measure of my engagement with my daughter--- the relationship I build with her. Her sale, our ROI, is increasing the bond of love between us.