AOP Partners with SeenThis to Reduce Website Data Usage by 65% and Lower Carbon Footprint

The Association of Online Publishers (AOP) has partnered with adaptive streaming technology company,SeenThis,to become the first trade body to stream images on its website and cut its internet carbon emissions, with the aim of encouraging digital publishers to explore and adopt similar solutions.

Initial results have seen AOP reduce its data usage by 65% – greatly exceeding original predictions of 40% – and improve its website image load time by 65-85%, resulting in a better user experience. SeenThis has so far focused on achieving these data savings through image streaming, with a view to develop its capabilities around richer content streaming including video in the near future.

While initiatives like Ad Net Zero have been welcomed by the industry, current action plans focus on advertiser-related activity, and do not take into account the impact from publishers. The partnership with SeenThis is the first step towards industry standardisation of carbon calculation across the buy- and sell-side, factoring in the significant impact of data transfer emissions. To accelerate this further, the AOP is leading on conversations with publishers, trade bodies, and advertisers by creating a dedicated Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) steering group where members can share best practice and discuss industry solutions in more detail.

Gareth Holmes, VP EMEA & APAC, at SeenThis, said: “COP26 catalysed a number of changes and action plans, but to manage environmental and sustainability issues, any new initiative must hit People, Planet, and Performance to be successful, and should address all industry markets. Streaming technology initiates what is hopefully the first of many solutions to encompass the whole spectrum of industry needs in media and advertising. We want to make a real impact on the world’s carbon emissions and with AOP’s help, we hope to get as many industry leaders to be part of the journey – and the solution – as possible.”

Richard Reeves, Managing Director at AOP, commented: “Feedback from our members and research from SeenThis brought greater attention to the need for common industry standards for carbon calculations. Understanding the environmental impact of our actions is imperative, so we are delighted we can lead by example through our partnership with SeenThis. The results speak for themselves and we hope this not only encourages other digital publishers to explore similar solutions, but also initiates important conversations in the wider industry. After all, we make the biggest impact when we collaborate and act as one across the entire media ecosystem.”

Apr 11, 2022