Measuring ad impact beyond completion: Completion rate doesn't equal purchase intent — check post-ad actions.; Use Google AdMob's event breakdown: impressions, clicks, rewards, and dismissals.; Compare placements by downstream results like app actions or sales, not just completion.
Image: Gaming Ad Guide

Attribution

Part of Rewarded advertising campaigns

Evaluating completion rates alongside downstream behaviour

A rewarded ad completion rate measures progress through the rewarded experience.

Measurement Desk · · 2 min read

A rewarded ad completion rate measures progress through the rewarded experience. It is not a proxy for purchase intent. Players have a reason to finish even when the advertiser's offer is irrelevant, so judge completion with what happens after the ad.

Use a small measurement ladder

Start with eligible impressions, opt-ins, ad starts and reward-earned events. Ask the publisher how each is defined. Google AdMob's integration distinguishes impression, click, dismissal and reward callbacks, so one aggregate “engagement” number is insufficient. Then inspect qualified site visits, app actions or sales that match the campaign objective.

Segment by game, placement, creative and device where volume permits. A high-completion placement with weak downstream action may be serving a reward that players want but an offer they do not. It may also have a broken landing page or missing tracking. Check these before excluding the inventory.

Evaluating Rewarded Ad Completion Rates with Downstream Behaviour

  1. Eligible ImpressionsMeasure initial ad exposure to users
  2. Opt-InsTrack user consent to view rewarded ads
  3. Ad StartsRecord when the ad begins playing
  4. Reward-Earned EventsConfirm users completed the ad and received the reward
  5. Qualified Site Visits / App ActionsMonitor post-ad engagement such as level progression or in-app navigation
  6. Sales or Conversion EventsEvaluate actual downstream outcomes like purchases or superannuation sign-ups (if applicable)

Key Metrics for Rewarded Ad Evaluation

Impressions
Initial ad exposure
Opt-Ins
Users who agree to watch rewarded ads
Ad Start Rate
Percentage of impressions that trigger ad playback
Completion Rate
Proportion of ads fully watched
Reward Earned
Number of users receiving in-game rewards
Qualified Post-Ad Actions
User actions aligned with campaign goals (e.g., level progression)

Avoid overclaiming attribution

A later visit or purchase may be associated with exposure under the platform's attribution rule, but that alone does not show the ad caused it. Use a credible holdout or comparison where available and report the limits. If no such design exists, describe attributed outcomes as attributed.

Decide whether the campaign met its brief: truthful exposure, reasonable frequency and a useful response. A placement with slightly lower completion but stronger qualified behaviour may deserve more budget. Keep the reward mechanics constant when comparing creatives so the incentive itself does not confound the result.

Completion Rate vs. Downstream Behaviour: What Matters Most?

  • High Completion, Weak Downstream ActionReward may be desirable but offer irrelevant; check tracking or landing page issues
  • Lower Completion, Strong Downstream ActionAd may drive meaningful behaviour—consider reallocating budget despite lower completion
  • Attribution CautionLater actions linked via platform rules don’t prove causation—use holdouts where possible

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