Impressions

Impressions are the total number of times a piece of content was displayed, whether or not it was clicked, and counting repeat views by the same person. One person seeing a post five times is five impressions.

Platforms differ on what counts as "displayed": for some, a post scrolled past at speed still counts; video platforms often have a separate views metric with its own threshold. When comparing across platforms, read each one's definition before putting the numbers in the same chart.

Impressions divided by reach gives frequency: how many times the average person saw the content. Rising frequency with flat reach means you are re-reaching the same audience, which is either reinforcement or fatigue depending on what you are posting.

Impressions are the easiest metric to inflate and the hardest to act on alone. They are the denominator of useful ratios (engagement rate, CTR) more than a goal in themselves.

Related terms: Reach · CTR (click-through rate) · Engagement rate