You have a video ad with a high cost per result. Is the idea wrong? The product? The way it was shot? Before you remake the whole thing, two numbers tell you exactly where the problem is: hook rate and hold rate. Here's what hook rate means for Facebook ads, and how to use it.
What is hook rate?
It measures how well the first seconds stop people from scrolling:
Hook rate = 3-second video views ÷ impressions × 100
Example: the video got 100,000 impressions and 25,000 views of at least 3 seconds. Hook rate = 25% — a quarter of the people who saw it stopped; the rest scrolled past.
What is hold rate?
It measures how well the video keeps the people who stopped:
Hold rate = ThruPlays ÷ 3-second video views × 100
A ThruPlay in Meta is a view to the end for videos under 15 seconds, or at least 15 seconds for longer ones. If 25,000 people stopped and 5,000 reached a ThruPlay, hold rate = 20%.
These formulas are widely used by media buyers but aren't official Ads Manager metrics, so you'll see slight variations. What matters is using the same definition every time you compare.
Reading the two together
| Hook | Hold | Diagnosis | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low | High | Weak opening, but viewers who stay keep watching | Change only the first 3 seconds |
| High | Low | The opening grabs attention but the content doesn't hold it | Shorten the video and get to the benefit faster |
| Low | Low | The video doesn't fit the audience or placement | New concept or a different audience |
| High | High | A strong video | If results are still weak, look after the video: the offer or the page |
Ways to improve hook rate
- Open with the result or the problem — not your logo or an intro.
- Clear movement or change in the very first second.
- On-screen text summarizing the idea, since many people watch without sound.
- A question or line that speaks to a problem the viewer recognizes.
Ways to improve hold rate
- Cut every second that doesn't add information.
- Deliver the main benefit within five seconds of the hook, not at the end.
- Change shots every two to three seconds in short video.
Calculating them yourself in Ads Manager
You can create two custom metrics in Ads Manager:
- Under Columns, choose Customize columns, then Create custom metric.
- For hook rate: divide "3-second video plays" by "Impressions" and format it as a percentage.
- For hold rate: divide "ThruPlays" by "3-second video plays".
- Save both in a column preset dedicated to video ads.
Metric names can vary slightly depending on your interface language. Look for "3-second video plays" and "ThruPlays".
What else to measure in video ads
- 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% watch rates: show exactly where people drop off. A sharp fall at 25% means the part right after the opening is slow or too long.
- Average watch time: compared with video length, it's a quick read on how well the video holds attention.
- CTR: a video with great viewing but weak clicks may be entertaining without prompting action — check the call to action and the offer.
Example: improving a video step by step
A skincare product video: hook 12%, hold 28% (illustrative numbers). The hook is low compared with the account's other videos; the hold is good. Decision: keep the content and test three new openings — a close-up of the result, a question written on screen, and a hand using the product from the first second. After a week, compare the three and use the winning opening in future videos.
Common mistakes when reading hook and hold
- Comparing videos of very different lengths: hold for a 10-second video differs by nature from a one-minute video, because a ThruPlay means completion in the first and 15 seconds in the second.
- Judging from few views: wait for thousands of impressions before comparing rates.
- Ignoring placement: the same video can hook differently in Reels than in Feed, so compare within a placement where possible.
- Focusing on hook alone: a shocking opening unrelated to the product can lift hook rate while attracting people who never buy.
Hook and hold for every ad in Raqeeb Ads
In the Campaign Analyzer, every video ad appears with its thumbnail plus hook and hold calculated with the formulas above, alongside spend, results, cost per result and frequency, and the share of viewers reaching 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% of the video. The top-creatives board ranks every video in the account, so you can see which openings work and reuse them.
If a good video's numbers start sliding over time, the cause may be fatigue: Facebook Ad Fatigue: 3 Signs Your Creative Is Burning Out (and What to Do).
Free tools that help here: The hook rate calculator calculates hook rate and hold rate from your Ads Manager numbers in seconds. The Facebook ad sizes guide shows the size and safe zone for every placement.
FAQ
What is a good hook rate?
Is hook rate an official Ads Manager metric?
What does ThruPlay mean?
A media buyer running Meta campaigns for clients across Egypt and the Gulf, who built Raqeeb Ads to fix the account-monitoring problems he kept running into himself.