- Participation
How can I participate in AGOF?
You can participate in the AGOF by obtaining a license. A license entitles you to participate in the data collection conducted by AGOF and to use the results of this process to market your web site.
- Principal requirements
What are the principal requirements for participating in AGOF?
If you market classic display advertising, that is selling online banner advertising on one or more web sites, then you are a typical online marketer and are therefore part of the possible group of participants of the AGOF. The marketed web sites can both be company-owned or external web sites.
- Contracting parties
Who are the contracting parties when participating in AGOF?
The contracting parties are always AGOF and the marketer. Therefore, if you market websites you will be our contracting party. However, if the website is marketed in-house, the website operator itself can be the contracting party for AGOF.
- Significance of participating in AGOF
What does it mean to participate (be a licensee) in AGOF?
When you obtain a license, it will cover the measurement and publication of your web site in the AGOF internet facts study. With your license agreement with the AGOF, you commit yourself among other things to complying with the technical specifications that are required to measure your web site and include it in the study. The license fees are calculated by means of a licensing model.
- Difference to AGOF membership
Where is the difference between participation and membership of AGOF?
The members of the AGOF are the founders of AGOF. They developed and financed the internet facts study and the planning tool TOP. Therefore, other than the licensees, the members are not bound to AGOF by contract but by the Articles of Association of AGOF. The membership fees are determined by the General Assembly of AGOF. The members are also obliged to comply with the technical specifications required for measuring and including their web sites in the study. Moreover, members are required to send representatives to join and co-operate in the AGOF committees. In order to be able to join as a member, the applicant has to have been a licensee for two years. After that period, the General Meeting of the AGOF will decide on accepting the applicant as a member. The rights and duties, financing terms and acceptance criteria of becoming a member of AGOF are determined by the Articles of Association.
- What do I need to do to participate in AGOF?
What do I need to do to participate in AGOF?
Prior to participating in the AGOF internet facts study various requirements have to be met:- Contract between AGOF and the marketer for the participation of the web site in the internet facts study
- Measurement agreement between the web site operator and INFOnline with regard to the web site
- Contract between the web site operator and IVW with regard to the web site
- Implementing the technical specifications required for participating in the AGOF internet facts study
- Passed quality audit performed by INFOnline prior to the start of the technical measurement
- AGOF agreement on participating in the measurement quarter
- Participation costs
What does it cost to participate (obtain a licence) in AGOF?
Principally, the AGOF offers two licensing models: for advertising media and non-advertising media. However, generally, advertising media are crucial for the internet facts study. Therefore, accepting non-advertising media requires approval by the AGOF General Assembly. More detailed information on obtaining a license as a non-advertising medium will be supplied by the AGOF office Frankfurt.
Use our Online Cost Calculator to calculate your individual costs for a possible license.
License for advertising media – calculation based on one year:
Volume of page impressions up to 100 million (page impressions per month):
Fixed basic costs: €6,500 plus
variable costs: €350 per each 1 million page impressions
Volume of page impressions from 100 million (page impressions per month):
Costs: 2 * (total page impressions) €0.54
Volume of page impressions from 500 million (page impressions per month):
Costs: 2 * (total page impressions) 0.5 + €54,927
The costs are incurred per marketer, independent of how many web sites are included in the license. The calculation basis for the costs is the total amount of page impressions of all web sites included.
In addition, costs for the “technical audit” will incur. These will be charged according to the following apportionment as a one-time fee per web site to audit the quality of the technical requirements:
Up to 25 million page impressions/month €1,000
25 - 50 million page impressions/month €2,000
50 - 100 million page impressions/month €3,000
More than 100 million page impressions/month €5,000
- Web site limits
Is there a maximum or minimum limit of web sites that can be measured by AGOF?
No, in general any number of web sites can be registered to participate in AGOF. However, because of the effort involved in participating, it does not make sense to merely register one small web site. In this case we recommend you join an already existing marketer portfolio. Apart from the effort involved one also has to consider the costs involved in registering an individual web site, because the fixed costs will represent the major outlay compared to the variable costs (page impressions per web site).
- Accounting period
What kind of accounting period is set for participation (obtaining a license)?
The license always relates to four survey periods (quarterly) per calendar year. However, in the first year the costs will be calculated pro rata for the number of survey periods that the relevant web site is able to participate in (that is 100% for four waves, 75% for three waves, etc.). Due amounts will be invoiced twice a year, that is 50% each time. The first 50% are due immediately when joining AGOF, the second 50% at the end of the year.
- Period
Which period will be determined for my participation (license)?
The license for the AGOF internet facts study is valid for one calendar year and extends automatically. Notice has to be given in written form to the AGOF office in Frankfurt with a period of six months to the end of the calendar year.
- Other costs
Do you charge any other costs for participating in AGOF (obtaining a license)?
No, AGOF itself does not charge any other costs. However, subject to the technical requirements additional costs will incur for IVW membership (a summary of the membership fees can be found here) as well as for the measurement agreement with INFOnline GmbH (a summary of these costs can be found here).
- Starting date
Are there fixed starting dates for participating in the AGOF internet facts study?
You may start participating in the study at the beginning of a quarter (1 January, 1 April, 1 July, and 1 October). It will take about 5 1/2 months from the start of participating in the regular study until initially being displayed in the planning tool. New web sites can be registered up until four weeks before the wave starts. The implementation of the technical requirements has to be concluded up until two weeks before the start of the wave.
- Technical requirements
Which technical requirements do I need to have in place so that I can participate in AGOF?
In order to be able to properly participate in the AGOF internet facts study you will need to meet five technical requirements:
1. IVW membership:
Web site will be audited and monitored by IVW
Separate contract with IVW
Separate costs charged by IVW (in addition to the costs charged by AGOF)
2. SZM tag:
IVW standard
Allocation of tags per page/section
Full configuration of the web site
Measurement by INFOnline GmbH
Separate contract with INFOnline GmbH
Separate costs charged by INFOnline GmbH (in addition to the costs charged by AGOF)
3. Categorisation
3-step category system
Full configuration of the web site
4. FRABO tag:
JavaScript call for on-site survey
5. MClient tag:
Transmission of distinct user characteristics
Integration in sections where users have to sign in
- During AGOF participation
Is there anything I need to do while participating in AGOF?
Yes, once you have signed the contract with AGOF, thus carrying out the technical requirements, and this implementation has been audited for quality by INFOnline, other tasks are required while participating in AGOF. After the end of the measurement quarter we will ask you to define booking units (units of your web site where advertisements can be booked). Six weeks before your data is published for the first time you will be able to enter information on rates, advertising formats, contact persons, etc. into the so-called ‘AGOF Manager’ for display of your website in the planning tool TOP.
- Results
If participating, when will I receive the first results?
5 1/2 months after registering your web site in the AGOF system you will receive the first results. The technical measurement will refer to one calendar quarter (3 months). After that, the data will be evaluated for about 2 1/2 months.
- Form of the results
In which form will I receive the results?
The results of the internet facts study can only be viewed and analysed with TOP, the AGOF planning tool. TOP must be separately licensed in addition to the participation license for the AGOF internet facts study.
- Events / Training
Are there any events or training courses for participants (licensees) of AGOF?
Yes, we organise a licensee day twice a year for AGOF licensees. On these days we will present the latest information and advances that are important for further participation in the AGOF study. We will communicate the dates in due course. Furthermore, the AGOF Academy also offers seminars on various topics relating to AGOF: online media planning with TOP for beginners, experienced users and experts, using the internet facts study in marketing, and the basics for participating in the AGOF study.
