So you’ve posted your video as an ad through Facebook, or you’re considering it- after all, the algorithms it uses to reach a specified audience are considerably useful, as are the many tools and insights that come with using Facebook ads. But how exactly will you know if your video's performance is aligning with its goals?

There’s so much to navigate through Facebook ads, and not all of the data you’ll have access to will be equally relevant to video ads. What should you be measuring?

Not to worry. Here are a few of the key insights to keep your eye on, narrowed down to best stay informed on your video’s performance:

Video Metrics

Under the Posts tab within Page Insights, you will find metrics. When you scroll down to All Posts Published, there will be a list. This list will provide you with a quick snapshot of the individual reach and engagement of all your posts, and you’ll have the option to view them through various filters to understand your audience better.

For the individual metrics of your video, click on your video's title. Here you will find more on the remaining three insights:

Video Retention

Retention in this context applies to view duration. With an interactive graph, you can view a retention percentage for any specific time in your video. For example, 80% of viewers may have watched your video up to the 10-second mark, but perhaps only 10% of viewers may have still been watching by the end.

You can also see the average view duration, the total views for a certain time span (e.g. the first 4 weeks), and the number of people that watched your video for 30 seconds or more (if the video is that long). The 30 second mark is significant, because those who watch that far are more likely to follow through watching the majority of the video and retain more information.

Video Engagement

Engagement is most useful as a measure for how well your video resonated with your audience.

Your metrics will include a 28-day breakdown of the likes, comments, and shares of your video as well as on shared posts of your video. You’ll also have insight on negative feedback if people have decided to hide your video from their news feed or have reported it as inappropriate.

Based on your video’s feedback and reach, you can find out why the video is getting the results it is, and either take action to combat poor results, or gain an understanding of why it’s strong and hone in on that.

Clicks On Your Video

When it comes to breaking down clicks on your video, it’s divided into 3 areas:

• Clicks to play: how many times your video was played after being clicked on

• Link clicks: How many times a link was clicked in your post, if you included one

• Other clicks: Number of clicks on any other element of your post, including page title, “see more” to expand the post, or your call-to-action button.

The significance of these numbers will vary depending on the goal of your video. Understanding what types of clicks you want will correlate to how much weight these numbers hold for you.

Now that you’re familiar with these four insights, you’re equipped to effectively monitor your video ad’s performance on Facebook!

Not sure which Facebook Ad Objective to choose to begin with? Let’s make sure it aligns with your goals: 5 Facebook Ad Objectives to Consider for Your Video.