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View-Through Rate

The percentage of users who watch a video ad to completion or a specific threshold.

Definition

View-Through Rate (VTR) measures how many users watch your video ad to completion or a significant point.

Formula

VTR = (Video Completes ÷ Video Starts) × 100

Benchmarks

  • Facebook/Instagram: 15-25%
  • TikTok: 20-35%
  • YouTube: 30-45%

Low VTR often indicates weak hook or wrong targeting.

Why It Matters

View-through rate (VTR) measures the percentage of people who watch your video ad to completion or a significant point. It's a key indicator of creative quality and audience relevance. High VTR means your content resonates — and platforms reward engaging videos with lower costs and broader distribution.

Examples

  • •A TikTok ad with a 25% VTR (watched to completion) indicating strong audience engagement
  • •Comparing VTR across different hook variations to find the most compelling opening
  • •A YouTube ad with 70% VTR past the 5-second skip button, signaling strong interest

Common Mistakes

  • ✕Ignoring VTR and only looking at CTR — a high-VTR video builds brand awareness even without clicks
  • ✕Not testing different video lengths to find the sweet spot between engagement and completion rate
  • ✕Comparing VTR across different video lengths without accounting for the natural drop-off on longer videos
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