Great visuals mean nothing if the numbers don’t back them up. The key to improving your ads isn’t guessing — it’s knowing which metrics matter and what they mean.
Here’s how to evaluate your video ad performance without getting overwhelmed.
1. CTR (Click-through rate)
This tells you if your creative grabs attention and motivates action.
2. CPC (Cost per click)
Helps you understand how efficiently your ad is driving traffic.
3. CPP (Cost per purchase)
Your true north if you’re optimizing for sales.
4. Thumb stop rate / 3-second views
Early engagement tells you if the hook is working.
5. ROAS (Return on ad spend)
The bottom line metric — revenue divided by ad spend.
6. Watch time and drop-off
How long are people staying with your ad?
Final thought
Great ads don’t just look good — they perform. Start with creative, test smart, and track the numbers that show what’s working. The rest is noise.
Want to avoid the five most common video ad mistakes?
Download our free guide at upstir.co/5-video-ad-mistakes
It is 14 pages of real tips to help you improve your hooks, lower ad costs, and create content that actually works.
Here’s how to evaluate your video ad performance without getting overwhelmed.
1. CTR (Click-through rate)
This tells you if your creative grabs attention and motivates action.
- Benchmark: 1% or higher is solid for most platforms
- Low CTR? Your hook might be weak, or your CTA unclear
- High CTR but low conversions? Your landing page might be the issue
2. CPC (Cost per click)
Helps you understand how efficiently your ad is driving traffic.
- Lower is better — but only if it’s quality traffic
- Watch in combination with CTR and conversion rate
3. CPP (Cost per purchase)
Your true north if you’re optimizing for sales.
- Rising CPP? Your creative might be fatiguing
- Test new angles, hooks, and offers
4. Thumb stop rate / 3-second views
Early engagement tells you if the hook is working.
- Strong stop rate = strong hook
- Weak early views = replace your opener
5. ROAS (Return on ad spend)
The bottom line metric — revenue divided by ad spend.
- Track at the campaign level, but improve at the creative level
- Creative refreshes often have the biggest ROAS impact
6. Watch time and drop-off
How long are people staying with your ad?
- Drop-off after 5 seconds? Weak storytelling
- Watching but not clicking? Add urgency and CTA earlier
Final thought
Great ads don’t just look good — they perform. Start with creative, test smart, and track the numbers that show what’s working. The rest is noise.
Want to avoid the five most common video ad mistakes?
Download our free guide at upstir.co/5-video-ad-mistakes
It is 14 pages of real tips to help you improve your hooks, lower ad costs, and create content that actually works.