Media audit and industry certification terms and definitions
Below are short descriptions of AAM’s media audit and industry certification services featured in The Assurance List. Please contact us if you have any questions.
Media Audits
AAM audits publishers, including news, magazine and business media, across channels. Publishers choose which channels to verify and report, including:
- Print circulation: Subscriptions and single-copy sales of the paper version of a publication
- Digital circulation: Subscriptions and single-copy sales to online publications; it does not include web data from open-access websites
- Apps: Users/visitors, downloads, sessions/visits and page views
- Newsletters: Net distribution and open rates
- Social Media: Activity from platforms like LinkedIn, X, Facebook and Instagram
- Websites: Page views, users/visitors and sessions/visits
- Events: Registration, attendance and demographics
Industry Certifications
AAM Certified Partner
The AAM Certified Partner Program certifies companies that serve the media industry including subscription services, data management companies, email management companies and telemarketing service providers.
AAM System Certification
AAM System Certifications take a holistic look at a company’s platforms and systems to ensure they adhere to industry best practices and standards to provide accurate, reliable and consistent metrics.
COUNTER
Project COUNTER provides standardized, reliable metrics and guidelines for measuring the use of electronic resources by libraries and publishers. This helps libraries make informed purchasing decisions and publishers understand the value of their content. AAM is an approved auditor for COUNTER compliance.
EDAA Privacy
The European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance offers certification programs for compliance with standards for internet behavioral advertising and consumer data protection. AAM is an official certifier for the EDAA.
Ethical AI
AAM’s Ethical AI Certification addresses key areas of AI implementation such as disclosure, human oversight, privacy, bias and risk management. Certified companies demonstrate their leadership in responsible AI adoption to build confidence among audiences, advertisers and stakeholders.
EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework
The U.S. Department of Commerce, the European Commission and the UK Government launched the Data Privacy Framework (DPF) Program to provide U.S. organizations with reliable mechanisms for personal data transfers to the United States from the European Union and the United Kingdom. AAM’s certification program provides assurance that companies are handling personal data according to global standards.
Events Industry Council
The Events Industry Council’s Sustainable Event Standards assess events and industry suppliers on sustainability criteria to support environmental and social responsibility. AAM is an official auditor for the EIC Sustainable Event Standards.
IAB Tech Lab Data Transparency and Podcast
The IAB Tech Lab is an independent nonprofit consortium within the Interactive Advertising Bureau focused on developing technical standards and solutions for the digital advertising industry. AAM is a member of IAB Tech Lab and provides verification for IAB Tech Lab’s compliance programs, including podcast measurement and data transparency.
ISO Sustainability
The International Organization for Standardization provides standards for a wide range of business processes and services. AAM certifies to the ISO Management Systems standards including 20121 (sustainable event management systems) and 14001 (designing and implementing an environmental management system).
Point of Care Marketing Association
POCMA is the organization for the point of care channel, which is targeted to patients, caregivers and providers in healthcare settings. AAM is an approved auditor for POCMA’s certification program and has helped the organization develop assurance standards.
TAG (Trustworthy Accountability Group)
TAG works to increase trust and transparency in digital advertising by sharing industry best practices in brand safety, transparency and against ad fraud and malvertising. AAM provides independent validation for TAG’s brand safety, anti-malware and anti-fraud programs.