Reading Facebook Video Insights

Numbers that matter

The insights tab can bury you in figures, so pick two or three that actually guide decisions. Watch time and average view duration tell you more than a raw view count.

Reach shows how many people saw the clip, but reach without watch time means little. A clip seen by many and finished by few is a hook problem, not a success.

Look at retention as a shape, not a single number. A drop in the first seconds points to the opening, while a drop near the end points to the payoff.

Compare clips to each other rather than to some ideal. Your own best performing post is the most useful benchmark you have.

The loudest number is rarely the useful one.

Check which traffic sources feed each clip. Growth from shares behaves differently from growth in the main feed, and each asks for a different response.

Review the numbers weekly, not hourly. Short term swings on a small page are mostly noise.

Key takeaways

• Track watch time and average duration over raw views.
• Treat retention as a shape, not one figure.
• Compare clips against your own best, not an ideal.
• Note which traffic sources feed each clip.
• Review insights weekly to avoid chasing noise.