Glossary entry
DTC performance metrics — CTR, CVR, AOV, ROAS, LTV
Performance marketing
The five most-cited metrics in DTC paid media plus four engagement metrics (hook rate, 3-second hold, completion rate, comments rate). Each measures a different part of the funnel.
Every bullet in a teardown report ends with a metric tag — the analyst is calling which performance number the 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 because vague claims like "this ad is engaging" don't help operators decide what to test. A claim that "the question hook lifts hook_rate" is falsifiable — you can A/B test it and measure the lift. A claim that something is "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
Related