What's the difference between impressions and viewer-seconds?
An impression is a modeled guess at how many people might have seen something. A viewer-second is a measurement: one real viewer, present for one real second the ad was on screen. Publsh prices and pays on viewer-seconds, counted from the serving side, so nobody is arguing about whose estimate is right.
Impressions were always an estimate
The ad world runs on modeled guesses. For a live stream, where the audience rises and falls minute to minute, that guess is especially loose.
Viewer-seconds count the real thing
Every second the ad renders, multiplied by the live audience watching it, recorded by the overlay that draws the ad. One honest number, and the creator and the brand see the same one.
Why it changes the deal
When both sides trust the number, the argument disappears. You pay for attention that was genuinely there, not for a follower count or a padded impression total.
Stop paying for a guess. Pay for what was actually seen.
Frequently asked
Are viewer-seconds better than impressions?
Viewer-seconds are measured (a real viewer present for a real second the ad rendered) rather than estimated, so both the advertiser and creator price and settle on the same delivered number.