Do clicks impact video consumption? A deeper look into social media KPI's

by Jonathan Simon

Understanding social media KPI's is key to analyzing how your content resonates with users reached. 

Real-time CTR and VVR stats - what does it all mean though?

In conversations with a client on a campaign wrap up report, we were asked if video views were lower because the campaign optimized for clicks? Intuitively, one might assume that a user clicking on an ad midway through a video would lead to a disruption consequently resulting in lower video consumption. So we looked under the hood and analyzed data from over 280 million impressions to answer this question, revealing some interesting finds. 

The study explored the correlation between Click-Through Rate (CTR) & video view rate in addition to the correlation between CTR and video completion rate. The analysis found a negative correlation between CTR and Video View Rate (3 seconds). This suggests that campaigns designed to maximize clicks might inadvertently lead to a lower initial engagement with the video content itself. In other words, if a user is quickly clicking on an ad, they may be less inclined to settle in and watch the video, even for a brief three-second duration. This could be indicative of a user journey where the primary intent is to explore the advertisement rather than consume the video content. 

However, there was a positive correlation between CTR and video completion rate. This finding challenges the conventional wisdom that ad clicks detract from video completion. Instead, it proposes that, users who are inclined to click on an ad are also more likely to watch the video to its conclusion and thus seems to have a positive impact on video consumption. This seemingly points towards the idea that both clicks and video completions might be driven by a common underlying factor: user intent. Users who are more engaged, more curious, or more actively seeking information are potentially more likely to click on an ad that catches their interest and more likely to complete a video that resonates with them. It suggests a higher level of overall engagement with the content ecosystem. 

BUT wait there’s more. It is crucial to acknowledge, that numerous other factors can significantly influence these results, including the nature of the content itself (content resonance), the specific audience being targeted, ongoing campaign optimizations, and the overall duration of the campaign. For instance, highly compelling video content might naturally lead to higher completion rates regardless of ad clicks, while a poorly targeted ad might see low clicks and low video views. 

The trends appear to be consistent across various verticals for campaigns we manage, suggesting a pattern and we think that optimizing solely for clicks may lead to a reduction in initial video views. However, if the ultimate goal is video completion, then a strategy that also encourages clicks might align with that objective. 

The key takeaway from this analysis is the imperative for marketers to precisely identify the metrics that align most directly with their campaign goals. A blanket approach to optimization, focusing on a single metric like CTR, without considering its broader impact on other consumption patterns, can lead to suboptimal outcomes. If the objective is broad reach and initial awareness, then maximizing three-second video views might be paramount. If the goal is deep engagement and message absorption, then video completion rates become more critical. Understanding the nuanced interplay between user actions, such as clicking on an ad, and their video consumption habits is vital for executing truly effective and targeted campaign optimizations.