In partnership with US network ABC, Nielsen will expand its Nielsen Online Campaign Ratings system to mobile as video viewing through apps on both smartphones and tablets continue to grow.

Through the pilot program – which runs through the summer – ABC will be able to measure audience demographics and understand the reach and frequency of online campaigns across ABC content on the web and in mobile apps.

The mobile expansion combines the Nielsen Cross-Platform Homes panel with data from providers, to measure all ads, including video and display, within iOS and Android apps.

“When we first launched Nielsen Online Campaign Ratings 18 months ago, we knew that it was the beginning of a market-moving shift in digital advertising. For the first time, it enabled all parties to understand the audience of an ad campaign using metrics comparable to TV,” said Cheryl Idell, executive vice-president, client solutions for Nielsen. “In that period, mobile usage has skyrocketed and the need to extend our measurement has become clear.”