Why it matters
A strong hook gets people to stop. Hold rate tells you whether you kept them. If hook rate is healthy but hold rate is weak, the problem is the middle of the video — a slow build, a confusing demo, a sudden change of tone — not the opening. Viewers who stay long enough to see the product working and hear the offer are the ones who can go on to click.
How to calculate it
There's no single industry definition, and hold rate isn't a standard Ads Manager column. Three common versions:
| Version | Formula | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ThruPlay hold | ThruPlays ÷ 3-second video plays | A ThruPlay is a play to the end or for at least 15 seconds, so for longer videos this is a 15-second hold |
| Percentage hold | Video plays at 50% (or 75%) ÷ 3-second video plays | Scales with video length, so it's fairer across short and long cuts |
| Impression-based | ThruPlays ÷ impressions | Blends hook and hold into one number |
Pick one, build it as a custom metric in Ads Manager and use it for every test in your creative testing routine. Switching definitions between tests makes the comparison meaningless.
Worked example
Example: two edits of a 40-second video with the same hook.
- Edit 1: 12,000 three-second plays, 2,160 ThruPlays → 18% hold rate
- Edit 2: 12,000 three-second plays, 3,600 ThruPlays → 30% hold rate
Edit 2 moved the product demo from second 20 to second 6. Same hook, same audience. Only the pacing changed, and viewers stayed longer. Check purchases before you call the winner — holding attention is the means, not the goal.
What's a good hold rate?
It depends on video length, placement and your chosen definition, so borrowed benchmarks mislead. Compare against the median of your own videos under the same definition. Look for the drop-off point too: the Video plays at 25%, 50%, 75% and 95% columns show where people leave.
How to improve it
- Pay off the hook quickly. Don't make viewers wait for the reveal.
- Cut dead air, slow intros and repeated shots.
- Change the visual every few seconds.
- Show the product in use and the key benefit in the first third.
- Add captions, so the story works with the sound off.
Diagnose in order: the opening with hook rate, the body with hold rate, and the offer with CTR and conversion rate.
Common mistakes
- Comparing a 12-second video's hold rate with a 60-second video's.
- Mixing definitions across tests or team members.
- Optimising a sales campaign for ThruPlays. You'll get watchers, not buyers — keep the optimisation event on purchases and use hold rate as a diagnostic.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate hold rate for video ads?
A common definition is ThruPlays divided by 3-second video plays. Some teams use video plays at 50% or 75% instead of ThruPlays, which adjusts better for video length. Choose one definition and use it consistently across all your tests.
What is a ThruPlay on Facebook?
A ThruPlay is Meta's count of video plays that reach the end of the video or last at least 15 seconds, whichever comes first. For videos shorter than 15 seconds, it means a full play. You can also choose ThruPlay as the optimisation goal in some video campaigns.
What is a good hold rate?
There's no reliable universal figure, because hold rate depends on video length, placement and the definition you use. Compare each video against the median of your own videos under the same definition. Use the 25%, 50%, 75% and 95% play columns to see exactly where viewers drop off.
