In brief
A campaign’s results are read through about ten metrics. Taken together, they tell a story: who saw the ad, how many times, how many clicked, how much it cost.
The metrics
| Metric | What it is | How to calculate it |
|---|---|---|
| Amount spent | Money spent | — |
| Impressions | Number of times shown | — |
| Reach | Different people reached | — |
| Frequency | Impressions per person | impressions ÷ reach |
| CPM | Cost per 1,000 impressions | spend ÷ impressions × 1,000 |
| Link clicks | Clicks to your destination | — |
| CTR (link) | Click-through rate | clicks ÷ impressions |
| CPC (link) | Cost per click | spend ÷ clicks |
| Results | Expected action (depending on the objective) | — |
| Cost per result | Price of an action | spend ÷ results |
The steps to read a report
- Choose the right period and the right level (campaign, ad set, ad).
- Look first at the result and the cost per result: is it acceptable?
-
If it’s poor, look for where it’s stuck:
- High CPM: narrow audience or strong competition.
- Low CTR: visual or message not attractive enough.
- High CPC: a consequence of a low CTR or a high CPM.
- High frequency (above 3 or 4): the audience is saturated.
- Lots of clicks, few results: the problem is after the ad (slow page, unclear offer). 4. Compare with the previous period and between ad sets.
Pitfalls to avoid
- Judging on a single day or a tiny sample.
- Looking at the CPM on its own.
- Confusing clicks (all clicks) with link clicks.
- Comparing campaigns with different objectives.
Key takeaways
- Metrics are read together.
- Cost per result first, then look for the weak link.
- Wait for enough data before drawing conclusions.
Practice in TRIALO
Choose the Maximum period, open the chart and click Results in the editor: the analysis hints help you read. Reminder: the numbers are fictional.