Creative metrics & testing
Hook Rate vs Hold Rate vs Thumb-Stop Rate: Formulas & Benchmarks
Gabe Hutcheon · · 6 min read
These three terms cause more confusion than any other metrics in paid social, partly because two of them are the same thing. Here is each one defined, the formula, an honest benchmark, and which to act on first.
The three metrics, defined
All three are video-only and all three come straight out of Ads Manager:
- Hook rate measures whether people stop. It is the share of impressions that became 3-second views.
- Hold rate measures whether they keep watching. It is the share of those 3-second viewers who reach 15 seconds (or a ThruPlay).
- Thumb-stop rate is hook rate. Same calculation, different name, more common among TikTok marketers.
The formulas
Hook rate = 3-second video plays ÷ impressions × 100
Hold rate = 15-second video plays (or ThruPlays) ÷ 3-second video plays × 100
Thumb-stop rate = 3-second video plays ÷ impressions × 100 (identical to hook rate)
The key distinction: hook rate is measured against impressions (everyone the ad reached), while hold rate is measured against the 3-second viewers (the people who already stopped). That is why they answer different questions.
Benchmarks
There is no official Meta benchmark, so treat these as directional and compare against your own 30-day account average first.
| Metric | Below par | Good | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hook rate | Under 20% | 25 to 35% | 40%+ |
| Hold rate | Under 30% | 40 to 50% | 50%+ |
Which to act on first
Read them in order. A low hook rate is a frame-zero problem: the opening is not earning attention, so rebuild the first 3 seconds before anything else. A healthy hook rate but a low hold rate is a body problem: people stopped but the story lost them, so tighten the bridge and the pacing. Strong on both but weak CPA means the offer or the audience is the issue, not the creative's attention.
Both are diagnostics, not targets. Do not optimise an account toward hook rate; optimise toward profit and use these to understand why an ad is or is not working. For the full breakdown of what a good hook rate looks like and how to fix a low one, see what is a good hook rate for Facebook ads, and for why strong hooks at volume now drive reach, see Meta's Andromeda update.
Want these numbers read for you against your own account? Book a free creative audit.
Frequently asked questions
- Is thumb-stop rate the same as hook rate?
- Yes. Thumb-stop rate (or thumb-stop ratio) and hook rate are the same metric: the percentage of impressions that became 3-second video views. TikTok-leaning marketers tend to say thumb-stop; Meta-leaning marketers say hook rate.
- How do you calculate hold rate?
- Hold rate = 15-second video plays (or ThruPlays) divided by 3-second video plays, multiplied by 100. It measures how many people who stopped on your ad kept watching.
- What is a good hold rate?
- A good hold rate is roughly 40 to 50 percent, and above 50 percent is strong. It varies by video length and placement, so compare against your own account history.
- Which matters more, hook rate or hold rate?
- They diagnose different problems. A low hook rate means the opening fails to stop people; a low hold rate means the body fails to keep them. Fix the hook first, because nothing else matters if no one watches past 3 seconds.
Keep reading
Think creative is your bottleneck?
We brief from $250M+ in tracked ad spend and put first drafts in your hands in 48 hours. Book a free creative audit and we will show you where your account is leaking.
Book a free creative audit