TikTok Video Views counts how many times your video ad was watched for at least 6 seconds — TikTok’s default view threshold.
TikTok Video Views = SUM ( Video Views )
| Metric | Definition |
|---|
| Video Views | Each instance a video is watched for at least 6 seconds |
| Metadata | |
|---|
| Type | Number |
| Data Source | TikTok Ads |
| Aggregation | Sum |
Example
Your TikTok awareness campaign generated 594,000 video views in Q1.
| Month | Video Views | Spend | Cost per View |
|---|
| January | 185,000 | $4,625 | $0.025 |
| February | 198,000 | $4,752 | $0.024 |
| March | 211,000 | $4,853 | $0.023 |
| Q1 Total | 594,000 | $14,230 | $0.024 |
How It Works
TikTok registers a view when a user watches your video for at least 6 continuous seconds. This threshold filters out accidental scrolls and brief glances, providing a more meaningful engagement metric than raw plays. The 6-second view is TikTok’s standard metric for video awareness campaigns.
When to Use
| Scenario | Action |
|---|
| Awareness campaigns | Primary KPI for video awareness objectives |
| Budget optimization | Use cost per view to compare campaign efficiency |
| Creative performance | Higher views relative to plays indicates compelling content |
| Platform comparison | Compare TikTok’s 6s views against Meta’s 3s ThruPlays |
| Metric | Relationship |
|---|
| TikTok Video Plays | Total starts including sub-6s watches |
| TikTok Cost per Video View | Efficiency metric for video views |
| TikTok 15-Second Video Views | Deeper engagement metric (15s threshold) |
