Ad engagement metrics go beyond impressions and clicks. They show how people actually interact with your ads. Are they swiping, hovering, replaying, or clicking through? These behaviors can reveal whether your creative is captivating or getting lost in the scroll.
This article is part of our Ad Metrics series. For more information, check out: The 2025 Ad Metrics Playbook.
In this post, we’ll break down what ad engagement is, why it matters, and which metrics you should be tracking to measure real impact. You’ll learn how to interpret each one, avoid common mistakes, and optimize your ad performance with confidence.
Modern tools let marketers track nearly every user interaction. That’s a huge opportunity, but it can also create confusion if you’re tracking the wrong things or interpreting them incorrectly. Let’s fix that.
What is ad engagement?
Ad engagement refers to any action a user takes in response to an ad, such as clicking, swiping, replaying a video, or interacting with an element. It shows how users respond beyond just seeing the ad.
Why does this matter to marketers?
Tracking engagement metrics helps marketers understand how their ads are resonating with the audience. You’ll learn what creative formats work, which calls-to-action are effective, and where user attention drops off.
When you track the right metrics, you can spot high-performing creatives, tailor messaging for different audiences, and ultimately improve ROI. If you're not tracking them - or if you’re focusing only on surface-level stats like clicks - then you risk wasting spend and missing out on key performance insights.
For more info on social media engagement metrics, check out our blog How To Measure Social Media Engagement: Best Practice.
Which ad engagement metrics should marketers be tracking?
Below are the 10 most important ad engagement metrics to track, selected for their ability to reveal meaningful insights and support campaign optimization.
1. Total interactions
What is it?
The total number of engagement actions taken on an ad: clicks, swipes, replays, etc.
Why is it important?
Total interactions shows the full picture of how people are engaging. It’s your go-to snapshot for overall performance. Use this as a benchmark across campaigns, and dig into individual interaction types to understand which parts of your creative are driving action. Identify which formats or platforms deliver the most interactions and use those insights to tailor future ad elements.
2. Interaction rate
What is it?
The percentage of impressions that resulted in an interaction.
Why is it important?
Interaction rate helps normalize performance across different audience sizes. It tells you how engaging your ad is per view. Track this metric across creatives and platforms to pinpoint what consistently captures attention. Use it to A/B test elements like CTAs or imagery and quickly spot creative winners.
Here's the formula:
Interaction Rate = (Total Interactions / Impressions) x 100
3. Swipe rate
What is it?
The percentage of users who swiped through an interactive element like a carousel or expandable panel.
Why is it important?
Swipe rate signals curiosity. A high swipe rate means users are interested enough to keep exploring. Use this to evaluate how well your ad sequence tells a story, and adjust panel order or visuals to maximize engagement. Monitor which frames lead to the highest drop-offs and refine them for better flow.
Here's the formula:
Swipe Rate = (Number of Swipes / Total Impressions) x 100
4. Ad replayed rate
What is it?
The percentage of users who chose to replay your video ad.
Why is it important?
Replays are a strong signal that something clicked, whether emotionally, visually, or narratively. A high replay rate helps you identify winning formats or hooks. Double down on this style in your next creative test. Look for repeated patterns in high-replay content to uncover what emotionally resonates with your audience.
Here's the formula:
Ad Replayed Rate = (Number of Replays / Total Views) x 100
5. Dwell average duration
What is it?
The average time users spend hovering over or actively viewing your ad.
Why is it important?
This shows how long your ad is holding attention, and it’s critical for storytelling and brand recall. Longer dwell times typically correlate with stronger creatives. Use it to evaluate ad length, placement, and visual design. Optimize high-performing ads to drive even more time spent, or use dwell duration to refine messaging cadence.
Here's the formula:
Dwell Average Duration = Total Dwell Time / Number of Dwell Events
6. Impressions with interaction
What is it?
How many ad impressions included at least one interaction.
Why is it important?
This filters out the noise. By focusing on impressions that led to an action, you get a clearer picture of where engagement is actually happening. Segment by platform or creative to prioritize high-performing touchpoints. It’s a practical metric for assessing where to invest further budget.
7. Impressions with dwell
What is it?
The number of ad impressions where users paused or hovered without clicking.
Why is it important?
Even without interaction, a pause or hover signals interest. These moments are often underreported but can influence future behavior. Pair this with dwell time and retargeting strategies to guide warm audiences down the funnel. Don’t ignore these soft signals—they’re early signs of consideration.
8. Interaction average duration
What is it?
The average time users spend interacting with your ad.
Why is it important?
This digs into the quality of interaction. A longer duration usually means deeper engagement. If users are sticking around, it means your creative invites interaction. Use this to validate longer-form content or richer formats. It also helps ensure your interactive elements aren’t just getting clicked through but actually explored.
Here's the formula:
Interaction Average Duration = Total Interaction Time / Total Number of Interactions
9. Ad average duration (seconds)
What is it?
The average amount of time your ad was actively viewed.
Why is it important?
For video and animated formats, this is key. It helps you understand viewer drop-off and whether your message lands. Optimize early frames to boost this number and keep viewers interested through the full duration. Pay attention to where viewers tune out and consider cutting or rearranging content accordingly.
Ad Average Duration = Total View Time / Total Views
10. Ad replayed
What is it?
The number of times users replayed your video ad.
Why is it important?
Volume matters too. High replay counts suggest strong emotional or visual appeal. Use this as a retargeting signal. These users are clearly interested and might be primed for a follow-up CTA or conversion push. Frequent replays might also indicate your content is unclear, so validate that your message is coming through.
Conclusion
Ad engagement metrics show you what’s working and what’s not in real time. By focusing on the right ones, you can refine your creative, improve your targeting, and get more from every media dollar.
When you understand how your audience interacts with your ads, you stop guessing and start optimizing. That’s how smart marketers drive real results.
