DTC performance metrics — CTR, CVR, AOV, ROAS, LTV

Every bullet in a teardown report ends with a metric tag — which performance number this observation would move. This page explains the most-cited metrics so you can read each tag with intent.

Engagement metrics — top of the funnel

Hook Rate

Definition. Percentage of impressions that produce a 3-second view.

What it measures. Did the opening earn attention? A hook rate below ~30% on Meta usually means the visual or audio in the first second isn't strong enough.

Common synonyms. "3-second view rate." Often used interchangeably with Thumbstop Ratio.

Thumbstop Ratio

Definition. 3-second view rate ÷ impressions. See the full primer.

What it measures. Whether the first frame stops the scroll. Industry shorthand for hook strength.

3-Second Hold

Definition. Percentage of 3-second viewers who reach the end of the ad.

What it measures. How well the body sustains attention after the hook earns it. Hook gets them in; hold keeps them in.

Video Completion Rate

Definition. Percentage of impressions where the viewer reaches 95-100% of the runtime.

What it measures. Total attention captured by the ad. Strong completion correlates with brand recall but not always with CTR.

Comments Rate

Definition. Comments ÷ impressions.

What it measures. How emotionally activating the creative is. High comments often indicates either strong love or strong friction — context tells you which.

Conversion metrics — bottom of the funnel

CTR (Click-Through Rate)

Definition. Clicks ÷ impressions.

What it measures. Whether the body + CTA earn intent — does the viewer think the destination is worth the tap?

Range. DTC paid social typical: 1-3%. Above 4% on cold is exceptional.

CVR (Conversion Rate)

Definition. Conversions ÷ clicks.

What it measures. Whether the landing page + offer convert the intent the ad created. Low CVR with high CTR means the ad over-promises relative to the LP.

Range. DTC typical: 1-4% on cold, 4-12% on retargeting.

Economics metrics — what you're optimizing for

AOV (Average Order Value)

Definition. Total revenue ÷ orders.

What it measures. How much each customer spends on a single purchase. Bundle-promoting ads target AOV directly.

ROAS (Return On Ad Spend)

Definition. Revenue ÷ ad spend.

What it measures. Whether the campaign is profitable on a first-purchase basis. The hurdle rate depends on margin — most DTC brands need 2.5-3x to break even after COGS + shipping.

LTV (Lifetime Value)

Definition. Total revenue from a customer over their full relationship.

What it measures. Whether subscription / repeat-purchase behavior justifies aggressive first-purchase acquisition spend. Subscription brands often run ROAS < 1 on first order if LTV is 5x+.

Why teardown bullets tag metrics

Each bullet ends with the metric it predicts to move. "This ad is engaging" doesn't help an operator decide what to test. "The question hook lifts hook rate" is falsifiable — you can A/B test it. "Engaging" is not.

Related concepts

• Thumbstop Ratio — the canonical hook-strength metric
• Ad-to-LP Continuity — the mismatch that drags CVR down despite strong CTR