Video Ad Measurement

Even though video remains perhaps the most lucrative niche in digital advertising for quite some time now, the effectiveness of video ad measurement strategies is what can make or break its value both for brands and publishers.

Vanity vs Actionable Metrics in Video Advertising 

The main question remains, which KPIs need to be tracked to determine video ad performance

Namely, many experts have been expressing doubts on whether the so to speak vanity metrics (e.g. ad views and CTR, just to name a few) can actually measure the effectiveness of video ad campaigns. 

At the same time, analyzing the so-called actionable metrics (like video ad viewability) is commonly considered an efficient video ad measurement approach. 

In reality, ignoring either of these isn’t the best way to go.

Video Ad KPIs to Measure

  • While tracking video ad impressions enables understanding whether the video ad actually shows (in readers’ view) on a webpage, it’s recommended that the data on video ad views is analyzed in tandem with quartile-based stats (Viewed 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%)  and completion rate (a ratio of complete views to the total number of impressions).

In such a way, advertisers can not only measure their ad reach, but also evaluate viewers’ engagement with their ad creatives. 

  • Counting the number of ad requests (number of requests sent to an ad server) is equally crucial as tracking video ad opportunities (number of video ad pods potential allocated on a particular webpage that have ad display potential, i.e. the placement is viewable, and a video ad creative will show on the page in case of a filled ad request). 

Similarly, measuring both the request fill rate (ratio of successful ad impressions to the total number of ad requests sent) and opportunity fill rate (ratio of video ad impressions to the total number of ad opportunities) might also be helpful.

  • While tracking CTA & ad clicks, along with click-through rate (CTR)  is essential to understand how eager viewers are to learn more about the product or service advertised, the most effective way to determine ROI is to combine these stats with internal conversion data (e.g. number of acquired leads or sales).
  • When it comes to video ad viewability, the most essential aspect to handle is the verification of reported data points working with reputable third-party providers (e.g. Google’s DV or MOAT) to ensure each video ad impression was in fact viewable & valid (i.e. fraud-free).

And, using data visualization tools may be useful to have a broad picture on how the companies’ video ad campaigns are currently performing across various platforms.

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Check out the AdPlayer.Pro guide on our blog to find out more about the efficient measurement of actionable video ad KPIs.


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