Are you missing out on valuable insights from your display ads? Many marketers encounter challenges in tracking conversions beyond direct clicks. This blog post will explore view-through conversions, a great metric to reveal your ads’ real impact, and how to leverage it for better ad performance.
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What Are View-Through Conversions?
View-through conversions (VTCs) refers to tracking of those users who view a PPC ad and decide not to click on it, but later on end up visiting the advertiser’s site and performing intended actions, such as purchasing or registering for a newsletter.
It differs from click-through conversions since it deals with conversions without the direct click action on the ad.
For this conversion to count, it must occur within a set period after the ad is viewed. This period is known as lookback window, or attribution window, which can be customized to last up to 30 days.
The Importance of Tracking View-Through Conversions
Tracking view-through conversions is essential for understanding the full impact of your ads. Let’s explore how it can benefit your overall ads strategy!
Measure Your Ads’ Impact Precisely
Click-through conversions were once the main way to measure how effective ads were. However, relying only on clicks doesn’t fully show how well a campaign is performing.
View through conversions provides deeper insights by tracking long-term user behavior and multiple engagement points. By studying VTCs data, you can discover which ad designs attract your audience and which ad formats result in the highest conversions.
For instance, if your video ads have a higher VTC rate than display ads, it suggests that video content is more effective in encouraging your audience to take action.
Optimize Your Ads Placement
Monitoring view-through conversion data identifies which placements generate the most conversions and offers insights beyond immediate engagement. This insight allows you to improve ads that aren’t performing well.
Advertisers can spot untapped opportunities to adjust targeting strategies, and better distribute their ad budgets. You can move underperforming ads to sites or pages that have already shown success.
Save Your Money
Using view-through conversion data to refine your ads can boost both conversions and revenue. Because VTCs reveal placements that influence conversions indirectly, you can reallocate your budget to high-performing channels and avoid spending on those that aren’t contributing.
Besides, by gaining customers without paying for every click, you can have more efficient ad spend. Additionally, this approach helps build brand awareness at a lower cost.
How to Calculate View-Through Conversions?
Calculating VTCs begins by tracking ad impressions, which count the number of times your ad was delivered to users. Usually, this is done by using a tracking pixel on the ads like the case of TikTok Pixel and Facebook Pixel.
The next thing you need to do is set up the appropriate conversion tracking on your site. This is accomplished by putting a tracking code on pages that signify the completion of a specified event, such as purchasing or submitting a form.
The lookback window is another factor. A common lookback window might be up to 1,7 or 30 days. If, for example, a campaign produces 150 conversions in a week, without users ever clicking on an ad, those 150 actions are considered view-through conversions.
Hence, we can sum up the View Through Conversions Rate formula as below:
This percentage shows how effective your display and video ads are at driving conversions without users clicking on them.
How To Analyze View-Through Conversions?
To maximize the impact of your ads, it’s essential to analyze view-through conversions effectively. Here’s how you can evaluate this valuable metric:
1. Analyze The Rate Over Time
To analyze view-through conversions (VTCs) accurately, you should examine it over time. You can uncover patterns and shifts in how users are interacting, and what external factors might be at play.
Start by gathering VTC data regularly. Then, plot it on a graph over time to observe any trends. This will allow you to notice gradual changes or sudden spikes.
Looking at these changes will reveal seasonal trends, such as drops during quieter times of the year. Additionally, consider how external events such as holidays, news, or trends might influence VTC rates.
When you spot a fluctuation, it’s important to find out the cause. For example, if there’s a drop, this could indicate issues with ad visibility or user engagement that need attention.
2. Visualize Data
Different types of charts and diagrams should be used to spot patterns and trends. For example, line diagrams are used to describe changes in time; bar diagrams are used to compare data across the campaigns; heatmaps are perfect for analyzing the website’s engagement.
When creating effective visualizations, make sure to include clear labels, and appropriate scales, and apply color-coding strategically to emphasize important points.
3. Contextualize with Other KPIs
It is vital to consider View Through Conversions together with other metrics. This helps to identify the cross-relationship among different marketing channels and how effective ads work with other tactics.
View-through conversions really need to be looked at alongside other numbers like click-through conversions (CTCs), click-through rate (CTR), total conversions, and website traffic.
You should also consider financial KPIs regarding cost per acquisition (CPA), return on ad spend (ROAS), and customer lifetime value (CLTV). These KPIs are instrumental in determining whether or not your ads provide a good ROI on your initial investment.
>>> Read more: 15 Must-Track Advertising Metrics for A Successful Campaign
4. Compare The Rate Across Campaigns
Comparing VTC rates across different campaigns is essential for understanding what works best with your audience and refining future strategies.
By analyzing VTCs from campaigns with varying messaging, creative elements, and targeting, you can identify the most effective factors that contribute to indirect conversions. This helps you recognize successful tactics to replicate and pinpoint areas that need improvement.
You run three campaigns for an online course: one casual and fun, one serious, and one focusing on affordability. After checking the VTC rates, you find that the first has the highest VTC rate. Then, you can focus on tactics for future fun campaigns.
5. Check Platform and Tracking Variances
Different platforms track impressions in various ways, which can impact the accuracy of your VTC data. For example, some platforms count an ad as viewed when it starts loading, even if it’s placed below the fold and never actually seen by the user. These discrepancies can affect the reliability of your VTC data.
Additionally, ad blockers can interfere with accurate tracking. If a user has an ad blocker, their impressions might not be counted. Thus, understanding this variance helps ensure that your VTC data is accurate.
6. Interpret Trends and Anomalies in Data
When analyzing VTC data, any noticeable spikes or drops should be carefully examined. These changes don’t always require immediate action. You should understand the reasons behind these fluctuations as they can help explain patterns or shifts in user behavior.
Besides, pay attention to anomalies, but avoid making hasty decisions. Instead, use these insights to guide longer-term optimizations and improvements to your strategy.
What Factors Affect View-Through Conversions?
Several factors can influence the performance of view-through conversions. Let’s take a look at their details below:
1. Ad Impressions and Ad Viewability
Ad impressions play a central role in View-through Conversions. This happens when an ad is shown to a user on a website, app, or any other digital platform.
On the other hand, ad viewability refers to whether the ad was actually visible on the user’s screen and how long it remained there.
Knowing how well your ads are visible is essential for evaluating their performance. If users can’t see the ads, they are less likely to interact with them, which results in a less effective campaign.
For example, placing an ad at the bottom of a webpage may not be fully visible to users who scroll quickly. Consequently, fewer users will remember the ad or take action, causing a lower VTC rate.
>>> Read more: What are Impressions on Google Ads? Does It Matter in 2025?
2. Lookback Window
The lookback window, or attribution window, defines the period for a conversion to be linked to an ad impression. Different platforms, like Google Ads, Facebook Ads, or programmatic ad networks, allow advertisers to adjust the lookback window based on their campaign goals and business needs.
The right window depends on various factors, such as the sales cycle, user actions, and the product or service being promoted.
3. User Behavior
User behavior plays a major role in view through conversions. Users’ navigation patterns influence how they see and respond to display ads.
By studying user behavior, you can uncover key insights into:
- How users interact with your ads
- The actions they take after seeing your ads
- The factors that drive their decision to convert
For instance, visitors who click on tennis racket ads are more likely to return to your online sports equipment store. Using this VTC insight, you can segment your audience and personalize ads for tennis lovers.
Hence, you should continuously segment the audience, personalize messages, and enhance the website experience to boost VTCs.
4. Post-view Conversions
Post-view conversions are the actions users take after seeing an ad even if they don’t click on it.
Imagine users saw an ad for a lip balm but ignored it at first. Later, when they needed the product, they visited the website and made a purchase. Ultimately, the ad still influenced their decision to buy, which is a post-view conversion.
These conversions are more difficult to track and attribute because they often involve several touchpoints and indirect interactions with your brand.
Despite being harder to measure, post-view conversions are still important. They show that your ad left an impression on users and played a role in shaping their decision-making process.
How To Improve View-Through Conversions Performance?
Improving view-through conversion performance requires a strategic approach. Here are some effective methods to enhance your VTC results and make the most out of your display campaigns.
#1 Optimize Ad Position
To enhance VTC performance, you should place your ads strategically. Choosing prime ad placements such as at the top of the page or within relevant content, helps users notice and remember your brand.
If you’re advertising a new phone, for example, placing the ad in a gadget review video will attract users interested in technology. Meanwhile, a luxury car ad works best as a large banner at the top of financial news sites to catch the attention of high-income readers.
It’s important to track how ads perform in different positions to find the most effective ones. Testing various placements and evaluating their success can ensure your ads are in the best viewing spots to drive higher VTCs.
#2 Test Ad Design
Since testing ad design impacts how users view and interact with your ads, it is crucial for improving VTC performance. Split testing different aspects like visuals, headlines, and calls-to-action helps determine what appeals most to your target audience.
For example, when promoting a new running shoe, you can split-test one ad showing a close-up shot of the design and another showing a person running on the shoe. By comparing the VTC rates, you can see whether users respond better to detailed product visuals or lifestyle imagery.
High-quality images or videos can create a lasting impression. Equally important are strong CTAs. Testing various CTA colors, sizes, and wording can show what leads to the best VTC results.
#3 Limit Ad Frequency
Overexposing users to the same ad too often can lead to frustration and reduce the chances of a VTC. Setting a frequency cap helps keep your ads fresh and effective. Typically, B2C campaigns perform best with 3-5 impressions per week.
By reviewing VTC data alongside frequency levels, you can spot when ad performance starts to drop, signaling the need for adjustments. For example, Facebook recommends a frequency of 2 impressions per week over 10 weeks for brand awareness campaigns, while retargeting campaigns might work better with 5-10 impressions per month.
#4 Use Layered Targeting
Layered targeting effectively improves VTC performance because it helps you reach more relevant audiences with your display ads.
This technique combines various targeting factors, such as demographics, interests, behaviors, and website activity, to form more focused and precise audience groups.
By merging these targeting elements, your ads become more relevant and are seen by the right people at the right moment.
As can be seen from the picture, selecting both “Study Abroad Programs” and “Foreign Language Study” as audience segments creates a more focused group of users. By layering these segments, the campaign targets people likely planning to study abroad and learn a new language.
#5 Run Retargeting Across Platforms
Retargeting campaigns often yield much higher VTC rates than regular display ads. This is because retargeting focuses on users who have already interacted with your brand. These users have expressed interest before, even if they didn’t complete a purchase, which means a view-through impression is more likely to influence their decision.
A user, for instance, visits a website and views a pair of sneakers but doesn’t buy them. Later, they see a retargeting ad on Facebook showing the same sneakers with a limited-time discount. Since they were already interested, the ad encouraged them to go back and complete the purchase.
Understanding this technique is key for allocating resources based on the likelihood of users making a purchase.
>>> Read more: Facebook Retargeting Ads 101: Definition, Setup, Best Practices
Best Practices for Using View-Through Conversions in Campaigns
To maximize the impact of view-through conversions in your campaigns, here are some key tips to leverage them and boost your overall performance!
#1 Choose the Right Lookback Window
When using VTCs, you should select the right lookback window as it directly affects how conversions are measured. The ideal lookback window depends on your product, the typical length of the customer journey, and your marketing goals.
For example, a short lookback window between 1 and 7 days is ideal for quick decisions like signing up for a free consultation. On the other hand, for products or services that require more consideration, such as a luxury item, a longer window, like 30 days, works better.
#2 Compare Performance Across Channels
Evaluating VTC data alongside other channels like search, social media, and email marketing helps uncover how different channels work together to drive conversions. For instance, a user may first encounter a display ad, then search for the product on Google, and ultimately make a purchase through a TikTok link.
It’s essential to understand how these channels interact with each other. Instead of attributing conversions to just one touchpoint, you should acknowledge the impact of multiple marketing efforts working together to influence the final decision.
#3 Segment VTC Data
Rather than looking at VTCs as one overall number, breaking the data into segments helps you understand the factors that influence VTC performance. This approach allows you to pinpoint which groups respond best to your display ads.
If you’re advertising a new clothing line, segmenting the VTC data by age group might show that users aged 18-25 convert more after seeing ads on TikTok, while users aged 35-45 convert more from ads on lifestyle blogs.
Thus, segmenting VTC data by age group shows which websites or apps are most successful in driving view-throughs. Similarly, dividing the data by creative variation provides valuable insights for future creative development.
Wrap Up
View-through conversions is a powerful metric to measure the true impact of your display ads.
By analyzing user behavior, improving ad design, and following best practices, you can drive better ad results. With the right approach, VTCs can provide valuable insights that refine your marketing strategy and lead to higher conversion rates.
