How to measure video without falling into the trap of chasing views
A million-view video may not change anything. The problem is you are measuring the wrong thing.
Views only indicate whether the video is playing, not what impact it has. The correct metric must be tied to the goal: if building brand awareness, measure recall, consideration, purchase intent; if selling, measure real actions like leaving contact information or making a purchase. More importantly, define the metrics before production, not after posting.
- The goal of brand: measuring recall, consideration, and purchase intent.
- sales goal: measure real actions like leaving contact or making a purchase
- Sufficiently large budget to run brand lift measurement.
- only views and likes are used as the sole measurement
- not finalized the metrics before production
The question "is this video successful" is often answered by views. That’s when problems start to arise. Views measure whether content has been distributed, not whether it has been noticed, remembered, or led to any action. You could have a video with a million views but still see no increase in brand awareness, no rise in orders, and no one remembering who you are after a week.
Surface metrics and the impact metric.
There are two completely different levels of metrics.
The surface layer includes: views, impressions (the number of times content appears on screen), likes, shares, and clicks. These numbers are easy to read and report, but they only reflect distribution activity, not actual results.
The impact layer includes: ad recall (whether viewers remember seeing the ad), brand awareness, consideration, favorability, purchase intent, and further actions like leaving contact information, adding to cart, and purchasing. This is what leads to revenue and brand strength accumulated over time.
Choose the measure based on goals.
Brand objective: video aimed at increasing awareness, positioning, or building emotional connections with the brand. The appropriate measure is ad recall, brand awareness levels, consideration and purchase intent, measured through brand lift by comparing the exposed group to the control group.
Sales objective: video aimed at driving specific behavior in the short term. The appropriate measure is real actions: product page visits, form submissions, purchases, completion rate (the percentage of the video watched). Views are not included in this list.
Views only measure whether the ad is running or clicked, not whether it truly captures attention, evokes emotions, or is remembered. Attention and recall are what lead to results.
Google Brand Lift
When to run a brand lift, when to measure simply instead
Brand lift requires a sufficient distribution budget to have two user groups: those who have seen the video and a control group who have not. If the budget is large enough, this is the most reliable way to know if the video truly enhances awareness or purchase intent, as it separates the impact of the video from external factors.
If your budget is limited, you can still measure meaningfully by deciding on one or two behavioral metrics closely tied to your goals. For example: completion rate, clicks on the product page, or form submissions within seven days of release. The important thing is to decide in advance, not to choose after seeing the numbers and then deciding which looks good.
Common mistakes
- Using views and likes as the sole measure of success, reporting views without knowing what those views lead to.
- Chasing a viral video but not changing any awareness or behavior, then reinvesting in the wrong direction.
- Do not set the measurement before production. Asking "what to measure now" after the film is done is too late, as the objectives affect both the scriptwriting and distribution methods.
- Confusing clicks with connections. Many clicks do not lead to deeper actions, and many real connections do not come from any clicks.
The viewpoint of Sinh Vũ
Sinh Vũ does not guarantee virality and does not sell views. Even at the brief stage, Sinh Vũ clarifies the purpose of the video to establish corresponding metrics. This means that before discussing visual style or music, you and Sinh Vũ need to agree: this video is successful when customers do something or remember something.
For long-term collaborations, Sinh Vũ provides regular reports and adjusts direction based on actual results, not on superficial metrics. A video with few views that retains viewers until the end and guides them into a purchasing journey is far more valuable than a million-view video that is skipped after three seconds.
Decision checklist
Topic: Measuring the success of a video by what means. Sinh Vũ guide, sinhvu.com
Select each item you find appropriate, then print or save as PDF to take with you.
If you have marked most of the signs above, this is the time to discuss in more detail. Sinh Vũ can help you review and propose a direction.
References
Think with Google, Brand Lift documentation (measuring enhanced brand awareness). Practical consulting experience from Sinh Vũ Studio.
Frequently asked questions
If there is no budget for a brand lift, what should I measure instead?
Finalize one or two behavioral metrics closest to the goal, for example: product page visits, contact submissions, or video completion rates. Even without a brand lift, you must ask clearly beforehand: what does success look like for this video? Don't let the answer be 'many views'.
Are likes and shares good metrics?
Likes and shares indicate content that generates social reactions, providing reference value but not enough to conclude whether the video has brand impact or drives purchases. Many entertaining contents are shared widely but do not connect with the brand in viewers' minds. Use them as secondary signals, not primary metrics.