Online Media Planning tools?

Nice one.

Gap identified now we just need to fill it.

To answer my own question a little on online media planning tools, there are the following to consider:

1. DoubleClick MediaVisor
http://www.doubleclick.com/us/products/campaign_management/mediavisor/
I hadn't come across this one until I found out about it yesterday - at DoubleClick's Insight conference. Apparently it's currently only available in the US but is coming to Europe soon. It is a buying and planning tool which incorporates data from various sources but also includes its own 'Site Directory':

"Site Directory is bundled with MediaVisor to provide comprehensive operational information on more than 6,000 websites in a web-based, searchable database that allows quick exportation of sites selected into media plans."

2. IMS WebRF
http://www.imsms.com/products/UK-europe/UK_webrf.htm
"Our software incorporates the complete Internet planning process – from identifying target-appropriate Web sites and schedule building, to optimisations and frequency distribution analysis.

Buyers and sellers of Internet advertising space now have the same tools and information that have previously been available to other media. WebRF uses actual respondent level data. Monthly data is available from Nielsen//NetRatings' panels measuring people's online activity and is backed up with a wealth of demographic information. So there's no modeling, just real results."

As the above blurb makes clear IMS are a sister company of Nielsen//Netratings. The latter actually provide the data to power IMS's tool.

3. Nielsen//NetRatings Web RF
http://www.netratings.com/mktg.jsp?section=ps_wr
"WebRF – the online industry’s only comprehensive reach and frequency media planning tool from Nielsen//NetRatings and IMS – gives you sophisticated planning capabilities previously available only to traditional media. For the first time, you can access real Internet advertising campaign statistics in terms comparable to other media.

WebRF offers an unrivalled view of Internet advertising. It covers the complete Internet planning process – from identifying target-appropriate Web sites and schedule building to optimizations and frequency distribution analysis. Combining Nielsen//NetRatings’ extensive online consumer research with IMS software, WebRF gives you one source of reliable, accurate information, whatever your objective."

Not sure how developed their UK panel is to avoid skewed data for the UK...? Also, like with BARB for TV ratings where programs with small viewer numbers don't rate at all, lower traffic sites won't register in the panel data. Not a problem if you're interested in the most popular, highly trafficked sites, but not much help if you're after niche interest sites (e.g. for B2B).

4. comScore AiM
http://www.comscore.com/metrix/aim.asp
"AiM 2.0 is the only service to combine continuously observed Internet behavior measurement with comprehensive attitudinal, lifestyle and product usage data from the same representative consumer panel. This technique ensures the highest level of data integrity and accuracy.

Fully integrated with the state-of-the-art MyMetrix reporting interface, AiM provides agencies, advertisers and media sellers with access to comprehensive consumer information, including: technology ownership and usage, demographic, lifestyle, attitudinal, product purchase and offline media consumption data."

These guys compete directly with Nielsen//NetRatings using the same panel measurement methodology. So the same caveats apply (see comments on Nielsen above).

5. Hitwise
http://www.hitwise.co.uk/ss/whatwedo.html
Not really a media planning tool for ad agencies as such. Hitwise bill themselves as providing "competitive intelligence" and base their data on ISP logs (the rumour mill says by that they mean just Freeserve's log data) so it is effective for aggregating traffic stats but less good for demographics and more detailed user-centric metrics. I seem to remember though something about Hitwise creating their own user panel to be able to provide this...? Again, currently more focused on site owners than media planners / buyers.

6. Alexa
http://www.alexa.com
Definitely not a commercial grade media planning tool but if you've got no money, and can accept pretty skewed stats, and are just after a sense of relative traffic levels between similar sites then worth a try...

We, for example, get a small amount of pleasure from comparing ourselves to other sites in our sector. For example, newmediazero (NMA's) site:

http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details?&range=2y&size=large&compare_sites=www.newmediazero.com&url=www.e-consultancy.com#graph

If this is true I'd think twice before spending too much on reaching a wide audience there...

11. Compete

Also not commercial grade, but similar to Alexa.

From their site: A diverse sample of 2,000,000+ U.S. Internet users that have given us permission to analyze the web pages they visit and ask them questions via surveys.
Powered by the largest pool of online consumer behavior data in the industry, Compete.com is the only online competitive intelligence service that combines site and search analytics in one site to help you quickly master online marketing. With Compete.com, you can identify rival search marketing strategies to take your SEM and SEO efforts to the next level, and stay on top of rivals with site metrics and audience profiles.