Impressions

Impressions count how often an ad, post or other content was served. Every call where the content could theoretically be seen counts as one impression. Whether the user actually saw the content is not part of this metric. Complementary metrics like viewable impressions or active view cover that.

Use across channels

In search ads, an impression is a delivery on a result page. In display networks, ad servers count every banner delivery as an impression. In social media, impressions appear as a reach metric, often split between organic and paid reach. In email campaigns, providers speak of opens instead of impressions because they technically capture a different event.

Metric in practice

Pure impressions are rarely sufficient on their own. They merely show how often an ad was served. They become meaningful in relation, for instance as click through rate (clicks per impressions) or as cost per mille (cost per thousand impressions). High impressions without clicks show that message or audience are off.

Context in the JD platforms

In JD Partner, deliveries of an advert within a list campaign are counted similarly to impressions. In the sending reports of JD Mail, sending volume plays the comparable role, complemented by deliverability rate and open rate. A clear picture of actual reach and the attention earned per campaign emerges.