Definition:
Impression is the frequency with which an advertisement is published on a digital medium and is, presumably, seen by visitors. If the same ad appears on multiple pages at once, this statistic may underestimate the number of ad impressions, due to browser caching. It is the equivalent of net impressions in traditional media. There is currently no way to know if an ad actually loaded.
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Impression metric
Impressions are a fundamental metric when measuring the performance of certain ads: in a display ad the objective will be to achieve the maximum number of impressions with the aim of making a brand or product known to the largest possible target audience.
Impressions are also one of the components of other basic indicators in the measurement of online ads: the Click Through Rate (CTR) which is the number of clicks divided by the number of impressions, and the CPM, which is the cost per thousand impressions. This last indicator, which has been the usual one in online advertising, is giving way in importance to the Cost per Click (CPC) and even the Cost per Acquisition (CPA).
Differences between impressions and reach
To make estimates on social networks, reach and impressions are used, two terms that are sometimes confused even though they do not mean the same thing.
Reach measures the number of users who have seen one of our social media posts.
Impressions, on the other hand, is the number of times a publication has appeared on the timeline or wall of our followers. In this case, this measurement is less accurate than the scope since a user has been able to see the same post more than once if a third person has shared it, for example.
Frequently asked questions about Impression
What is Impression?
Definition: Impression is the frequency with which an advertisement is published on a digital medium and is, presumably, seen by visitors. If the same ad appears on multiple pages at once, this statistic may underestimate the number of ad impressions, due to browser caching. In the Arimetrics glossary it is placed in a digital marketing context to clarify its role, uses and practical implications.
What is Impression used for in digital marketing?
It is used to better analyse an action, tool, channel or behaviour related to acquisition, measurement, communication, sales or user experience. Its value depends on applying it to a concrete decision.
How is Impression related to a digital strategy?
It is related to digital strategy when it affects objectives, data, content, technology, campaigns or conversion processes. That is why it should be reviewed together with the business context, not as an isolated term.
What should be considered when working with Impression?
It is advisable to review its definition, context, associated metrics, limitations and possible risks. It is also useful to validate whether the concept has a real impact on performance, user experience or decision-making.