Pay per View (PPV)

Pay per View is a video advertising billing model in which you pay for every completed view of an ad spot. Unlike Pay per Impression, not every served impression is billed, but only the completed or threshold passing view. The model is standard for YouTube Ads and many video ad networks.

How a view is defined

What counts as a view depends on the platform. With YouTube TrueView, a view is counted once the user has watched at least thirty seconds or the full video. Other networks set thresholds at fifty per cent of the visible area for two seconds of play time. The exact definition is part of the media plan and directly influences pricing, since stricter view definitions mean more expensive inventory.

Pros and cons

Pay per View is cheaper than Pay per Click, since no interaction is required, and more expensive than pure Pay per Impression models, since a minimum level of attention must be proven. Risks include weakly defined view metrics or platforms without clean tracking. Advertisers should always measure view through rate and post view conversion rate alongside raw view volume.

Practical use

In day to day marketing, Pay per View suits brand campaigns, product launches and explanation heavy offerings where a longer watched video has more impact than a click. If you target direct sales, combine video views with retargeting campaigns that then continue on Pay per Click or Pay per Sale models.