video completion rate

Definition

The percentage of viewers who actually watch your video ad all the way through instead of desperately seeking the skip button. It's the metric that reveals how compelling your content is versus how fast people can click away.

Example Usage

Our 30-second video ad had a 12% completion rate, meaning 88% of viewers bailed before learning what we were even selling.

Origin

Video advertising metric that emerged with YouTube and online video platforms in the late 2000s

Fun Fact

The average video completion rate varies wildly by length—90% for 15-second ads but only 24% for those ambitious 3-minute brand stories.

Source: Video advertising metrics

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