Impressions
The number of times an ad was shown to viewers. Different from reach — one person can accumulate multiple impressions.
In practice
Impressions alone are worth nothing. A million impressions to an irrelevant audience equal $0. But brand building requires repeated impressions — 7 exposures before a purchase.
Common misconception
'A million impressions = viral.' Facebook counts an impression when 50% of the ad was on screen for one second. Not 'seen and remembered.'
How to fix it
High impressions but low CTR? (1) wrong audience, (2) format doesn't stop the scroll — switch to video, (3) content doesn't address the pain point.
Example
An interior design store: 500K impressions, 0.3% CTR. Audience: men 18-24 who weren't the target. Narrowing it: 180K impressions, 1.8% CTR, ROAS x3.
Priority
Don't track impressions as your main KPI. CPM and frequency are the metrics that matter.
Related terms
Keep learning. Metrics that touch the same area:
- ReachMarketingThe number of unique people exposed to content. Different from impressions — a person who saw it 5 times is counted once.
- FrequencyMarketingThe average number of times each unique visitor saw the ad. High frequency causes ad fatigue.
- Brand AwarenessMarketingThe degree to which your target audience recognizes your brand. Measured by: direct Google searches (brand search volume), direct traffic, and brand mentions. The foundation of any long-term marketing strategy.
- eCommerce / Electronic CommerceMarketingAll business activity conducted online — showcasing products, ordering, payment, shipping, and post-sale service. The backbone of every online store.
- CPC – Cost Per ClickMarketingThe price an advertiser pays each time a visitor clicks the ad. Influenced by competition, Quality Score, and landing page relevance.
- CPM – Cost Per MilleMarketingThe cost of advertising per 1,000 ad impressions. A key metric in awareness-focused and brand-building campaigns.
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