Guide
Cheat Sheet - Creative Analytics
Cheat Sheet - Creative Analytics
What is Creative Analytics?
Key Metrics
Ad spend
An increase in ad spend without improved results signals inefficiency, suggesting the need to adjust your strategy or targeting.
An increase in ad spend without improved results signals inefficiency, suggesting the need to adjust your strategy or targeting.
Impressions
A drop in impressions means your ad is being shown less, often due to lower engagement or poor targeting.
A drop in impressions means your ad is being shown less, often due to lower engagement or poor targeting.
Cost per mille (CPM)
Cost per mille (CPM)
A higher CPM indicates lower ad relevance or creative fatigue.
A higher CPM indicates lower ad relevance or creative fatigue.
Cost-per-click (CPC)
Cost-per-click (CPC)
An increasing CPC means your ad is becoming less effective at generating clicks, suggesting a need for optimization.
An increasing CPC means your ad is becoming less effective at generating clicks, suggesting a need for optimization.
Click-through rate (CTR)
Click-through rate (CTR)
A rising CTR means your ad is engaging; a drop suggests it’s losing relevance with your audience.
A rising CTR means your ad is engaging; a drop suggests it’s losing relevance with your audience.
View-through rate (VTR)
View-through rate (VTR)
A higher VTR shows your video content is holding attention; a lower VTR means viewers are dropping off early.
A higher VTR shows your video content is holding attention; a lower VTR means viewers are dropping off early.
Cost-per- acquisition (CPA)
Cost-per- acquisition (CPA)
An increase in CPA means your campaigns are less cost-efficient, and you may need to optimize your targeting or creatives.
An increase in CPA means your campaigns are less cost-efficient, and you may need to optimize your targeting or creatives.
Cost-per-click (CPC)
Cost-per-click (CPC)
A higher CVR means your ad is driving actions effectively; a lower CVR indicates the need for creative adjustments.
A higher CVR means your ad is driving actions effectively; a lower CVR indicates the need for creative adjustments.
Cost-per-click (CPC)
Cost-per-click (CPC)
Decreasing ROAS means your ad is becoming less effective at generating revenue, indicating a need for optimization.
Decreasing ROAS means your ad is becoming less effective at generating revenue, indicating a need for optimization.
Return on investment (ROI)
Return on investment (ROI)
A declining ROI means your ad is generating less revenue relative to its cost, signaling a need for optimization.
A declining ROI means your ad is generating less revenue relative to its cost, signaling a need for optimization.
Best Practices
Top Creative Ads
Definition
Top creatives ads consistently drive high engagement, and strong conversions, and outperform others by leveraging visuals, messaging, calls-to-action, and hooks that resonate with the target Insight audience.
Insight
Low CPC
Low CPC
A low CPC on a creative ad means it’s effectively capturing audience interest, driving clicks at a lower cost.
A low CPC on a creative ad means it’s effectively capturing audience interest, driving clicks at a lower cost.
High ROAS
High ROAS
A high ROAS highlights the effectiveness of the overall ad creative.
A high ROAS highlights the effectiveness of the overall ad creative.
High CTR
High CTR
CTR above the benchmark signals that your ad is resonating with your target audience. On Meta, the average CTR benchmark is around 1.1% for gaming and 0.5-1.5 (depending on the goal) for retail.
CTR above the benchmark signals that your ad is resonating with your target audience. On Meta, the average CTR benchmark is around 1.1% for gaming and 0.5-1.5 (depending on the goal) for retail.
High LTV
High LTV
High customer retention rates tend to drive higher LTV.
High customer retention rates tend to drive higher LTV.
High Conversion rate
High Conversion rate
A high conversion rate indicates that your ads achieve results that align with your campaign goals.
A high conversion rate indicates that your ads achieve results that align with your campaign goals.
Creative Fatigue
Definition
Creative fatigue occurs when ad performance declines due to repeated exposure to the same creative elements. This leads to drops in engagement, conversion rates, and reach. This is particularly relevant in specific ad platforms, namely TikTok.
Creative fatigue occurs when ad performance declines due to repeated exposure to the same creative elements. This leads to drops in engagement, conversion rates, and reach. This is particularly relevant in specific ad platforms, namely TikTok.
Awareness
Awareness
Engagement
Engagement
Conversion
Conversion
Frequency
Frequency
CTR
CTR
ROAS
ROAS
Reach
Reach
Engagement rate
Engagement rate
CPA
CPA
Impression
Impression
VTR
VTR
CVR
CVR
Insight
Cost per incremental reach
Awareness
Awareness
Frequency > Target Range
Frequency > Target Range
Indicates overexposure
Indicates overexposure
Stagnating / Declining reach
Stagnating / Declining reach
Your ad is no longer reaching new users and is being shown to a shrinking audience.
Your ad is no longer reaching new users and is being shown to a shrinking audience.
Declining Impressions, rising CPM
Declining Impressions, rising CPM
Your ad is being shown less frequently, often due to declining engagement or poor performance.
Your ad is being shown less frequently, often due to declining engagement or poor performance.
Engagement
Engagement
Declining CTR
Declining CTR
Repetitive exposure reduces user interest and clicks.
Repetitive exposure reduces user interest and clicks.
Declining Engagement Rate
Declining Engagement Rate
Your audience is losing interest in the creative.
Your audience is losing interest in the creative.
Declining VTR
Declining VTR
The percentage of viewers who watch a specific portion of a video (e.g., first 3 seconds, 25%, 50%, 75%, or 100%). A declining VTR indicates fewer viewers are engaging with the video to reach those milestones.
The percentage of viewers who watch a specific portion of a video (e.g., first 3 seconds, 25%, 50%, 75%, or 100%). A declining VTR indicates fewer viewers are engaging with the video to reach those milestones.
Conversion
Declining ROAS
Declining ROAS
Your ad is becoming less effective at driving profitable actions.
Your ad is becoming less effective at driving profitable actions.
Increasing CPA
Increasing CPA
You are paying more for conversions, indicating inefficiency and possible creative or targeting issues.
You are paying more for conversions, indicating inefficiency and possible creative or targeting issues.
Declining CVR
Declining CVR
Fewer people are completing the desired action (e.g., purchases, sign-ups) relative to the number of clicks
Fewer people are completing the desired action (e.g., purchases, sign-ups) relative to the number of clicks
Winning Creative Formulas
Definition
Definition
Definition
Winning creative formulas refer to concepts, elements, and formats that consistently drive strong performance across channels. Identifying these patterns helps you understand what works and replicate successful elements in future campaigns.
Winning creative formulas refer to concepts, elements, and formats that consistently drive strong performance across channels. Identifying these patterns helps you understand what works and replicate successful elements in future campaigns.
Objective: Conversion
Objective: Conversion
Objective: Conversion
High CTR
High CTR
A high CTR means your ad is engaging
A high CTR means your ad is engaging
Low CPA
Low CPA
A low CPA shows it's converting efficiently
A low CPA shows it's converting efficiently
High CTR, low CVR
High CTR, low CVR
Ad concept may mislead or lack relevance.
Ad concept may mislead or lack relevance.
High ROAS
High ROAS
Determines profitability of the ad or creative.
Determines profitability of the ad or creative.
Objective: Reach
Objective: Reach
Objective: Reach
High CTR
High CTR
Consider tweaking ad elements to be more compelling.
Consider tweaking ad elements to be more compelling.
Low CPA
Low CPA
Suggests an engaging format or concept.
Suggests an engaging format or concept.
High Engagement Rate
High Engagement Rate
Your audience finds the ad compelling and resonates with its content.
Your audience finds the ad compelling and resonates with its content.
High CPM
High CPM
You're efficiently reaching a large audience at a lower cost per thousand impressions.
You're efficiently reaching a large audience at a lower cost per thousand impressions.
Naming conventions (see appendix) enable easy comparison and evaluation of ad performance. This approach is key for deeper creative insights and helps you quickly uncover which formats, elements, and concepts perform best.
Full funnel performance
As long as you have backend data (attribution, CLV, profitability) available at such a level of granularity, you should evaluate creative performance holistically beyond platform metrics. This ensures you are steering based on business impact vs. platform metrics alone.
Creative Optimization
Creative Optimization
Practical tips - how to optimize your ads:
AB tests
AB tests
Test different versions of your ads to see what resonates. Frequent testing and iteration on successful elements (hooks, CTAs, formats) keep your ads aligned with audience preferences.
Test different versions of your ads to see what resonates. Frequent testing and iteration on successful elements (hooks, CTAs, formats) keep your ads aligned with audience preferences.
Visual tweaks
Visual tweaks
Small changes like adjusting backgrounds, fonts, or text can significantly boost performance.
Small changes like adjusting backgrounds, fonts, or text can significantly boost performance.
Frequency caps
Frequency caps
Limit how often users see your ad to avoid overexposure. Use tools like automatic rules, ad rotations, and ad scheduling to manage frequency.
Limit how often users see your ad to avoid overexposure. Use tools like automatic rules, ad rotations, and ad scheduling to manage frequency.
Update ads regularly
Update ads regularly
Introduce new creatives or refresh existing ones to maintain audience interest. Experiment with different formats (carousel, video) for variety.
Introduce new creatives or refresh existing ones to maintain audience interest. Experiment with different formats (carousel, video) for variety.
Diversify creative assets
Diversify creative assets
Create multiple versions of ads and rotate them throughout the campaign. Change elements like copy, colors, and CTAs to keep things fresh.
Create multiple versions of ads and rotate them throughout the campaign. Change elements like copy, colors, and CTAs to keep things fresh.
Use dynamic ads
Use dynamic ads
Dynamic ads automatically adjust, offering a slightly different version each time, keeping the content fresh and engaging.
Dynamic ads automatically adjust, offering a slightly different version each time, keeping the content fresh and engaging.
Exclude past users for a set time
Exclude past users for a set time
Avoid showing ads to users who interacted but didn’t convert, as overexposure can lead to fatigue and disengagement.
Avoid showing ads to users who interacted but didn’t convert, as overexposure can lead to fatigue and disengagement.
Appendix - Naming conventions
Appendix - Naming conventions
Standard Identifier
Campaign-level: High-level goals and strategies
Format
[Funnel Position] - [Objective] - [Budget Type] - [Bid Strategy]
Example
TOFU - Awareness - CBO - $CC
Components
Funnel Position
Funnel Position
TOFU
TOFU
TOFU
TOFU
TOFU
TOFU
Objective
Objective
Awareness
Awareness
Conversion
Conversion
Traffic
Traffic
Declining CVR
Declining CVR
CBO
CBO
ABO
ABO
Declining CVR
Declining CVR
$LC
$LC
$CC
$CC
$BC
$BC
Ad set-level: Audience-specific details
Format
[Date] - [Audience Type] - [Audience Seed] - [Placement Type]
Example
11.04 - PastPurchasers - EmailList - Feed
Components
Date
The ad set's launch date
Audience Type
Who you're targeting
Audience Seed
Where the audience originates (e.g., Email List, Website Visitors)
Placement Type
Ad placement (e.g., Instagram Stories, Facebook Feed)
Ad set-level: Creative specific detail
Format
[Creative Name] - [Ad Type] - [Offer] - [CTA] - [Destination]
Example
BlackFriday - Video - 20%Off - ShopNow - LP
Components
Components
Creative Name
Theme or event (e.g., Black Friday, Valentine’s Day)
Ad Type
Ad format (e.g., Carousel, Video)
Offer
Promotion or deal (e.g. Buy 1 get 2, Free Shipping)
CTA
Ad placement (e.g., Instagram Stories, Facebook Feed)
Destination
Where the ad directs users (e.g., Homepage, Product Page)
Testing Identifier
For example, if you want to test two products in your ad, a gray shirt versus a blue shirt, you could add a Testing Identifier to the relevant ad names:
For example, if you want to test two products in your ad, a gray shirt versus a blue shirt, you could add a Testing Identifier to the relevant ad names:
Universal Naming Conventions
Creative ID
Creative ID
An internal ID that uniquely identifies the creative (across platforms) and can be used to harmonize data with other tools
An internal ID that uniquely identifies the creative (across platforms) and can be used to harmonize data with other tools
Creative Team/Staff Identifier
Creative Team/Staff Identifier
Identifies the team or individual responsible for designing the creative, facilitating dialogue with the creative team and sharing insights that they can directly address.
Identifies the team or individual responsible for designing the creative, facilitating dialogue with the creative team and sharing insights that they can directly address.
Creative Concept
Creative Concept
Represents the overarching concept for grouping similar creatives
Represents the overarching concept for grouping similar creatives
Creative Concept Variation
Creative Concept Variation
Differentiates iterations within the same concept.
Differentiates iterations within the same concept.
Dominant Color
Dominant Color
Highlights the primary color used, enabling teams to assess visual preferences.
Highlights the primary color used, enabling teams to assess visual preferences.
Language
Language
Specifies the language version of the creative.
Specifies the language version of the creative.
Format and Length
Format and Length
Includes details about the creative’s aspect ratio (e.g., 16:9, 3:4) and, for videos, the duration (e.g., 5 seconds, 30 seconds).
Includes details about the creative’s aspect ratio (e.g., 16:9, 3:4) and, for videos, the duration (e.g., 5 seconds, 30 seconds).
Landing Page Type
Landing Page Type
Specifies the language version of the creative.
Specifies the language version of the creative.
Ad Format
Ad Format
Describes the category of the landing page being targeted, such as product-focused, brand-focused, or content-driven, without requiring the exact URL
Describes the category of the landing page being targeted, such as product-focused, brand-focused, or content-driven, without requiring the exact URL
Ad Type
Ad Type
Details the format of the ad, such as carousel, video, static image, etc.
Details the format of the ad, such as carousel, video, static image, etc.
Format and Length
Format and Length
Includes details like subtitles (present or absent) and voiceovers.
Includes details like subtitles (present or absent) and voiceovers.
The campaign level defines the objective and any overarching details (e.g. the season or promotion) of your ads. This is where you set the purpose of your campaign:
Brand awareness
Lead generation
Conversions
The campaign level defines the objective and any overarching details (e.g. the season or promotion) of your ads. This is where you set the purpose of your campaign:
Brand awareness
Lead generation
Conversions
The ad set level is where targeting, placements, and budget are defined. It’s the middle layer that determines who sees your ads and where they appear. At this level, naming conventions should include:
Audience details
Placement type
Budget
The ad set level is where targeting, placements, and budget are defined. It’s the middle layer that determines who sees your ads and where they appear. At this level, naming conventions should include:
Audience details
Placement type
Budget
The ad level is the most granular layer of your creative assets. This includes your ad copy, visuals, videos, and links. Naming conventions here should focus on:
Creative concept or ID
Variations or tests
Any key attributes like format or targeted landing pages
The ad level is the most granular layer of your creative assets. This includes your ad copy, visuals, videos, and links. Naming conventions here should focus on:
Creative concept or ID
Variations or tests
Any key attributes like format or targeted landing pages