Video views in Facebook ads refers to the number of times a video ad is viewed for at least 3 seconds. This metric helps advertisers understand how many people are engaging with their video content on Facebook.
How video views are counted in Facebook ads
For a view to be counted by Facebook, the video must be played for a minimum of 3 seconds. This time limit helps ensure that views represent intentional watching rather than accidental plays. Additionally, a view is only counted the first time a person watches a video – subsequent views of the same video by the same user are not counted.
Some key things to know about how Facebook counts video views:
- A video must be played for a minimum of 3 seconds continuously to count as a view.
- Views are counted when the video is played, not when the video finishes playing.
- Only the first view by each individual user is counted – repeat views are not counted.
- Views are counted whether the video is played organically or as an ad.
- Views are counted whether the video is played on desktop or mobile.
By requiring a 3 second minimum, Facebook aims to only count meaningful video views and prevent inflation from things like accidental clicks or autoplays. The 3 second metric aligns with industry standards for online video analytics.
Why video views matter for Facebook ads
As an advertising metric, video views provide valuable insight into how well your video ads are performing. Here are some of the reasons video views are important:
- Reach – The number of views shows how many people your video ad reached. This demonstrates the potential scale of your campaign.
- Engagement – Views signify that users felt compelled enough by the video creative to watch for at least 3 seconds. This shows your content resonated.
- Brand awareness – More views mean more people saw your brand, product or service messaging through the video ad.
- Completion rates – Comparing views to 10-second or 100% video completion rates shows how captivating your video was.
- Ad delivery – If view volume is low despite a big budget, your targeting settings or bidding strategy may need optimization.
Because views indicate interest in your video, tracking this metric helps gauge the effectiveness of your video ads and identify areas for improvement.
Tips for increasing video views on Facebook
Here are some tips to help drive more video views from your Facebook ads:
- Use compelling video thumbnails – The thumbnail image has a big impact on view rate.
- Lead with an interesting hook – Capture attention immediately to minimize drop-off.
- Keep videos short – Videos under 15 seconds tend to see higher view rates.
- Use captions – Captions make videos accessible and easy to follow without sound.
- Test ad variations – Test different video creative, lengths, captions, etc.
- Target engaged audiences – Focus on more interested viewers rather than reach.
- Retarget people who already viewed – Remind people to rewatch and share your video.
- Monitor and optimize – Evaluate performance data frequently and adjust tactics.
Optimizing video ads to drive more views takes testing and analysis. Pay close attention to which video ads, audiences and placements achieve better results so you can refine your Facebook video ad strategy.
Benchmarks for Facebook video ad views
As a general benchmark, Facebook reports that video ads tend to average around 24% view rates. However, benchmarks can vary significantly based on factors like audience, video length, placement and more.
Here are some average video view rate benchmarks for Facebook ads:
| Video Length | Average View Rate % |
|---|---|
| Under 10 seconds | 29% |
| 10 – 20 seconds | 27% |
| 20 – 30 seconds | 26% |
| 30+ seconds | 18% |
You can also compare your video view rates to industry benchmarks specific to your business type and campaign objective. Monitoring your own historical benchmark averages will give the most relevant view rate data to optimize against.
Measuring video completion rates
To understand more deeply how engaging your video ads are, also look at video completion rates. This metric shows the percentage of viewers who watched your full video after starting it.
Video completion rate formulas:
- 10-second completion rate = Videos watched for at least 10 seconds divided by total 3-second views
- 25% completion rate = Videos watched through 25% of total length divided by total 3-second views
- 50% completion rate = Videos watched through 50% of total length divided by total 3-second views
- 100% completion rate = Videos watched through 100% of total length divided by total 3-second views
Analyzing these completion rate benchmarks indicates how compelling your video content and creative is to hold viewer attention. Comparing completion rates over time and against industry averages also gives useful insight for optimizing your future video ads.
Tips for improving Facebook video completion rates
Here are some tips to help improve your video completion rates on Facebook:
- Hook viewers quickly – Make the beginning highly engaging to minimize drop-off.
- Use strong thumbnail images – Thumbnails with people’s faces or bold text perform better.
- Include captions – Captions make it easier for viewers to understand and keep watching.
- Shorter is better – Completion rates tend to decline with longer video lengths.
- Entertain don’t interrupt – Let the video tell a story rather than just pitch your brand.
- Monitor closely – Check completion rates frequently and tweak creative or strategy.
- Test different video ads – Try different video styles, hooks, lengths, creatives.
- Refine targeting – Identify best-performing audience segments and placements.
Driving higher completion rates involves both art and science. Monitor data, experiment relentlessly and study what engages your target viewers best so you can refine your approach over time.
Conclusion
Video views provide a useful metric for gauging initial interest and reach for your video ads on Facebook. To understand deeper engagement, completion rates are also important to analyze. Try different video creative styles, hooks, lengths, captions, thumbnail images and more to optimize both views and completion rates over time. Analyze performance data frequently and focus on content that resonates most with your target audiences. With testing and refinement, your Facebook video ads can capture viewer attention and drive better marketing results.