Client Tracking Software

What metric should an online newspaper publisher use to sell ads to advertisers?

For an online newspaper publisher, what other metric (beside unique visitors) about the newspaper website can they use to successfully selling clients (advertisers) advertising? Note: (They are not using unique visitors since the number is underreported by web analyzer software-- ex: 2 millions visitors instead of 3.5 millions visitors -- since many readers use work computers that do not allow cookie or other tracking software to be installed. The underreported number of visitors will cause them to lose clients to other online newspaper sites who have over-reported number of visitors)

Public Comments

1. sell on the demographic of the readership, age, gender, social categorisation, average income etc this help people decide whether you are attracting the sort of people they are after. if you are in a competitive market then price will always be an issue so make sure you know what everyone else is charging and price yourself accordingly
2. Any reputable site allows a 3rd party ad server like DoubleClick or Atlas to serve ads. This removes the question of reporting because the ads are counted when served. It doesn't matter if a user allows cookies or not.