Definition
Hold rate is the share of viewers who keep watching the ad after the first few seconds, typically measured as the share who reach ThruPlay or watch a meaningful portion of the video.
Also called: Hold rate, Video retention rate, ThruPlay rateTest the message before scaling the budget.
Everyday colour.
One variable per comparison makes the learning easier to interpret.
01Define what the customer should understand or want.
Hook stops, hold convinces
Hook rate and hold rate are a pair. Hook rate tells you whether the opening stops people; hold rate tells you whether the message holds them once they've stopped. An ad can have a strong hook and a weak hold: people stop, but lose interest when the message doesn't deliver.
Together the two numbers give a precise diagnosis: if the hook fails, rework the opening; if the hold fails, it's the middle: the argument, the pacing, the payoff on the promise the hook made. That's far more actionable than just looking at CPA.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between hook rate and hold rate?
Hook rate measures whether the first seconds stop the scroll (3-second views / impressions). Hold rate measures whether people stay afterward (e.g. ThruPlay). Hook stops people; hold convinces them.
What do I do if hold rate is low?
Then the problem is in the middle of the ad: the argument is weak, the pacing sags, or it doesn't deliver on the opening's promise. Tighten the middle rather than touching the hook, which clearly works.
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About the author
Nicklas Segatz Mortensen
Growth hacker and fractional CMO with 10+ years' experience and hundreds of millions in managed ad spend behind him. Background from larger Danish and international scale-ups, and from the agency world.
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