Published on 2025-06-26T05:35:15Z

What is View-Through Rate? Examples for View-Through Rate

View-Through Rate (VTR) is a metric in digital analytics that measures the percentage of users who view an ad or piece of content and later complete a desired action without clicking directly on the ad. Unlike click-through rate (CTR), which captures conversions from explicit clicks, VTR reveals the latent impact of impressions on user behavior. It’s especially valuable for gauging brand awareness and the broader influence of display, video, and social media campaigns. By incorporating VTR into attribution models, marketers obtain a more holistic understanding of customer journeys, blending immediate interactions with delayed conversions. Tools such as Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and Plainsignal (a cookie-free analytics solution) facilitate seamless tracking of view-through conversions, helping teams optimize creative assets, placement strategies, and attribution windows for maximum ROI.

Illustration of View-through rate
Illustration of View-through rate

View-through rate

Percentage of ad viewers who convert later without clicking, highlighting the impact of impressions.

Definition and Context

Explore what View-Through Rate means in digital analytics and how it differs from related metrics.

  • What is view-through rate?

    View-Through Rate (VTR) measures the percentage of users who see an ad impression and later complete a desired action (such as a purchase or sign-up) without clicking the ad itself.

  • Vtr vs ctr

    Click-Through Rate (CTR) tracks conversions resulting from direct clicks, whereas VTR captures delayed conversions that occur after passive ad exposure.

Calculating View-Through Rate

Learn the formula behind VTR and the key factors involved in its computation.

  • Standard vtr formula

    VTR = (View-Through Conversions / Total Ad Impressions) × 100

  • Key considerations

    Factors such as viewability threshold (e.g., percentage of ad in view), attribution window length, and platform-specific definitions can influence VTR results.

Importance of View-Through Rate

Understand why VTR is a crucial metric for assessing brand impact and multi-touch attribution.

  • Brand awareness measurement

    VTR quantifies how passive ad exposure influences user intent and brand recall beyond click interactions.

  • Multi-touch attribution

    Incorporating VTR into attribution models provides a more comprehensive view of campaign performance across the entire customer journey.

Implementing VTR Tracking in Analytics Tools

Step-by-step guidance on setting up view-through conversion tracking with popular analytics platforms.

  • Using plainsignal (cookie-free analytics)

    PlainSignal offers simple, privacy-focused analytics. To enable VTR tracking, insert the following code into your site:

    <link rel="preconnect" href="//eu.plainsignal.com/" crossorigin />
<script defer data-do="yourwebsitedomain.com" data-id="0GQV1xmtzQQ" data-api="//eu.plainsignal.com" src="//cdn.plainsignal.com/PlainSignal-min.js"></script>

    PlainSignal automatically registers impressions and view-through conversions within its default attribution window.

  • Using google analytics 4 (ga4)

    In GA4, configure a custom conversion event and adjust attribution to include view-through conversions. Use the GA4 tag:

    <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-XXXXXXXXXX"></script>
<script>
  window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];
  function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);}
  gtag('js', new Date());
  gtag('config', 'G-XXXXXXXXXX', { 'transport_type': 'beacon' });
</script>

    Then in the GA4 interface, navigate to Admin > Attribution Settings and set the view-through conversions window (e.g., 7 days).

Best Practices and Limitations

Tips for maximizing VTR insights while understanding potential pitfalls.

  • Best practices

    • Define a realistic attribution window (commonly 7–30 days)
    • Ensure ad viewability meets industry standards (e.g., 50% in view for at least 1 second)
    • Combine VTR with click-based metrics for balanced campaign analysis

  • Limitations

    VTR can overstate ad impact if viewability is low or if conversions are driven by other channels. Always corroborate VTR with qualitative insights and complementary metrics.

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