Facebook view through rate (VTR) is an important metric that measures the percentage of people who watched your video ad until the end. It indicates how captivating and relevant your video content is to your target audience. While there is no universally accepted benchmark, experts recommend aiming for at least a 10% VTR on Facebook.
What is View Through Rate?
View through rate (VTR) measures the percentage of viewers who watched your entire video ad on Facebook from start to finish. It is calculated by dividing the number of complete video views by the number of times your video ad starts playing.
For example, if your video ad was launched 100 times and was watched to completion 10 times, your VTR would be 10%.
VTR Formula
View through rate is calculated using the following formula:
VTR = (Complete video views / Video starts) x 100
Why is VTR Important?
View through rate is a crucial metric for video ads for several reasons:
- It measures your content’s ability to captivate and engage your target audience.
- Higher VTR signals your video creatives and messaging resonate with viewers.
- It helps determine the effectiveness of your video ad campaigns on Facebook.
- VTR gives insights into video ad fatigue and drop-off rates.
- It enables optimization of video ad campaigns for better results.
In short, VTR demonstrates how compelling and relevant your video ads are to get people to watch until the end. The higher your view through rate, the better your video ads are performing.
What is a Good VTR on Facebook?
So what VTR should you aim for on Facebook? Industry experts recommend striving for at least a 10% VTR for Facebook video campaigns.
According to Facebook, the average VTR benchmark globally across verticals is around 10-15%. However, this can vary significantly based on your industry and campaign objectives.
Here are some average VTR benchmarks on Facebook by industry:
| Industry | Average VTR % |
|---|---|
| Retail | 15% |
| CPG/FMCG | 13% |
| BFSI | 12% |
| Auto | 13% |
| Travel | 18% |
| Gaming | 25% |
As a general rule of thumb, a VTR of 10-20% and above on Facebook is considered good. The higher your VTR, the better your video ad engagement.
Tips to Improve Your VTR
Here are some tips to help boost your Facebook video ad VTR:
- Hook viewers within the first 3 seconds with an interesting opening scene.
- Keep video length between 15-30 seconds long for better completion rates.
- Use captivating visuals and minimal text overlays.
- Show people and emotions to build connections.
- Use music and sound effects to set the mood.
- Ensure clear and audible audio quality.
- Include a solid brand reveal moment.
- Test different video styles and formats.
- Monitor drop-off rates and optimize poorly performing sections.
Video Length
One of the biggest factors in VTR is video length. Shorter video ads tend to have higher view through rates. According to Facebook, the ideal video length is around 15-30 seconds. Beyond 30 seconds, you start seeing steep drop-offs in VTR.
First 3 Seconds
Facebook also analyzed that most drop-offs happen within the first 3 seconds of a video starting. So it’s critical to have an opening scene that immediately grabs attention and interest.
Brand Reveal
Having a clear brand reveal moment rather than waiting until the end also results in higher VTR. Showing your brand logo or product within the first few seconds keeps viewers invested.
How to Measure VTR
You can easily find view through rate data within the Facebook Ads Manager dashboard. Just follow these steps:
- Go to the Ads Manager
- Select your Facebook video campaign
- Open the reporting columns
- Add the “Video Views to 100%” column
This metric shows you how many times your video was watched to 100% completion. You can then divide it by total impressions or reach to calculate VTR.
Facebook also provides other handy video metrics like video length, drop-off rates, quartile completion, and more. Analyze these to identify optimization opportunities.
VTR vs. Other Video Metrics
While view through rate is important, it shouldn’t be looked at in isolation. Some other key Facebook video ad metrics to track include:
- Reach: Number of unique people who saw your ad.
- Frequency: Average number of times each person saw your ad.
- CPM: Cost per 1000 impressions.
- CPCV: Cost per complete video view.
- CTR: Click-through rate.
- Engagement rate: Likes, comments, shares etc.
Look at VTR in conjunction with these metrics to get a complete picture of video ad performance and make data-driven optimization decisions.
Conclusion
Aiming for a 10-20%+ view through rate should be your goal for Facebook video campaigns. The higher your VTR, the better your video creatives are resonating with your audience.
Make sure to analyze drop-off rates, test different video lengths and styles, and use compelling visuals, audio and narratives. Regularly review your VTR and other key metrics to optimize your video ads for maximum results.
By consistently monitoring and improving your Facebook video ad view through rate, you can drive better engagement, conversions and ROI from your campaigns.