Measurement5 min read
Read the numbers without fooling yourself
Most first-time advertisers read the wrong metric on the wrong day.
Platform attribution and creative diagnostics answer different questions. Choose an observation window that fits the buying cycle and attribution settings, then keep it consistent across the comparison.
Choose metrics that match the question
- Platform-defined early-view rate — a proxy for opening behavior, compared within the same placement and format.
- Retention or watch-time measure — continued viewing, interpreted using the platform-specific denominator and time threshold.
- Click or landing-page-view rate — downstream action, not proof that the offer alone caused it.
- Conversion cost and value — commercial outcomes interpreted against your actual unit economics and attribution window.
- Blended payback — company-level cash recovery measured separately from an individual platform claim.
Make decisions from declared evidence
Before launch, define the control, treatment, primary metric, minimum exposure, observation window, and stopping rule. Wait for the declared evidence rather than a universal number of days. Treat an early lead as directional, and expand spend only when the result is sufficiently reliable for the decision and continues to satisfy your unit economics.
Record material campaign edits and avoid changing multiple variables inside a controlled comparison. Preserve the original control so a later result remains interpretable.