Understanding Engaged-View Conversions for YouTube Video Ads

Engaged-view conversions is a metric used to measure the effectiveness of YouTube video ad campaigns within Google Analytics (GA4). How this metric differs from traditional click-based conversions? What are the benefits and limitations?

Traditionally, conversion tracking in online advertising relied heavily on clicks. However, for video ads, viewers often don't take immediate action after seeing an ad. Engaged-view conversions address this by considering viewers who watched a significant portion of a YouTube video ad and then completed a desired action (conversion) on an advertiser's website or app within a specific timeframe (usually 3 days).

YouTube viewers tend to have a strong interest in the content they choose to watch. This makes them more receptive to ads displayed during their viewing experience. A study cited by Google suggests that 70% of YouTube viewers have made a purchase from a brand they discovered on the platform. Engaged-view conversions provide a more nuanced understanding of a video ad's effectiveness by capturing these viewers who may not click on the ad directly but still engage with the brand later.

How are Engaged-View Conversions Measured

To measure engaged-view conversions, you need to link Google Ads account to a GA4 property. This allows data to flow between the two platforms. Here's a breakdown of how engaged-view conversions are counted:

Video Ad Engagement: For skippable in-stream ads, viewers must watch at least 10 seconds (or the entire ad if shorter than 10 seconds). In-feed or Shorts ads require at least 5 seconds of viewing.

Conversion Window: The conversion must occur within a designated timeframe (default is 3 days) after the viewer interacts with the ad.

Benefits of Engaged-View Conversions

More Accurate Performance Measurement: Engaged-view conversions provide a more complete picture of how video ads drive conversions, considering viewers who may not click directly but still engage with the brand later.

Greater User Engagement: This metric focuses on viewers who actively watch a significant portion of the ad, indicating a higher level of engagement compared to a simple click.

Adapting to Evolving User Behavior: As viewing habits and devices change, engaged-view conversions offer a more robust metric to understand the true value of video ad campaigns.

Limitations of Engaged-View Conversions

Reporting Discrepancies: Depending on the reporting identity used in GA4 (by User-ID and device or by device only), there might be slight variations in how first-open and first-visit conversion events are counted within different reports.

The limitations of Engaged-view conversions, currently restricted to YouTube video ads within Display & Video 360 (DV360), can be seen as an advantage for YouTube compared to its video ad competitors.

By focusing on engaged-view conversions for YouTube video ads, Google offers advertisers a potentially more accurate measure of campaign effectiveness compared to traditional click-through rates. This could incentivize advertisers to prioritize YouTube for video ad campaigns, giving YouTube an edge over competitors who lack a similar metric.