View-through rate (VTR) is a video advertising metric that shows how many viewers watched an ad to completion without skipping. It helps advertisers understand how engaging their video content is — especially for skippable ads on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, or Meta.
VTR (View-Through Rate) is calculated using this formula:
VTR = (Completed Views ÷ Impressions) × 100
This metric shows the percentage of people who finished watching your video ad, giving insight into content quality and relevance. It differs from CTR (Click-Through Rate), which tracks clicks instead of views.
A high VTR means your video content is engaging and holds attention. It’s especially useful when:
Platforms that commonly use view-through rate include:
Don't confuse VTR with view-through conversions, which refer to someone converting after seeing an ad (without clicking). VTR strictly tracks completed views.
You can boost VTR by:
1. What is a good VTR for video ads? It depends on the platform, but generally, a VTR above 30% for skippable ads is considered solid.
2. Is VTR more important than CTR? Not necessarily. VTR helps measure engagement, while CTR shows action. Both are important depending on your campaign goals.
3. How is VTR different from video completion rate? They're often used interchangeably, but VTR usually refers to ad impressions, while video completion rate may apply to organic content too.
4. Does VTR impact algorithm ranking? On platforms like YouTube, high watch-through rates can indirectly improve algorithmic reach by signaling quality.
5. What tools track view-through rate? You can track VTR in Google Ads, Meta Ads Manager, TikTok Ads Manager, and other platform-specific dashboards.
