Why your Meta video views might not mean what you think

Oct 24

A charity I spoke with recently was buzzing about their latest Meta Ads campaign.

Thousands of views. A cost-per-play so low it felt like they’d won the lottery and a shiny report ready to impress senior management.

On paper, it looked like a huge win.

But when we dug into the data, the story changed. Nearly every one of those views came from a single placement: Meta Audience Network.

What Meta Audience Network actually is

Meta Audience Network extends Facebook and Instagram campaigns beyond Meta’s own platforms to thousands of third-party mobile apps and websites. According to Meta, it’s designed to help advertisers “reach people beyond Facebook and Instagram with ads that align with their interests.”

Sounds great in theory.

In practice, many of these placements appear in mobile games and free apps where users have to watch an ad to continue, unlock a level, get a reward, or earn an extra life.

So yes, people technically “watched” your charity’s video. But they weren’t listening. They were just waiting for the skip button so they could get back to level 47 of Candy Crush.

These aren’t engaged supporters, they’re bored players trying to move on.

The problem with chasing vanity metrics

This happens all the time. In the chase for impressive-looking numbers, we celebrate low-cost views but forget to ask the most important questions:

Did anyone actually care?
Did those views lead to any meaningful engagement?
Did they move someone closer to supporting your cause?

Chasing vanity metrics without a strategy is like shouting into the void. You might make a lot of noise, but no one is truly listening.

The goal isn’t to get the cheapest views. It’s to find the right people, at the right time, in the right mindset.

How to make video views actually matter

Video ads can be powerful but they sit right at the top of the funnel. Their job is to spark interest, not close a donation on the spot. To make them work, you need a journey.

1. Create for awareness, not conversion

Your first video’s job is to stop the scroll. Lead with emotion, not explanation. Keep it short, make sure it works with sound off, and optimise for ThruPlays (15-second views) not just 3-second glances.

ThruPlays tell Meta to find users who genuinely watch your story, not those who accidentally tap it.

Think of this stage as your introduction, it’s where awareness begins.

2. Don’t skip the middle of the funnel

This is where most campaigns fall flat. You’ve earned a moment of someone’s attention now build on it.

Create a retargeting campaign that shows a second ad to people who watched your first video.
Don’t ask for a donation yet. Instead, invite them to learn more:

Share a story from your beneficiaries
Show your impact in action
Offer a behind-the-scenes look at your work

This middle stage turns awareness into genuine interest. It’s where curiosity starts to become connection.

3. Take control of your placements

Audience Network can drive cheap reach, but often at the expense of quality. You have two choices:

The hard way:
Manually manage placements by creating exclusion lists for apps and sites where you don’t want your ads. It gives you control, but it’s time-consuming.

The easy way:
Turn it off.
Focus your budget on Facebook and Instagram feeds, stories, and reels. places where people are scrolling intentionally, open to discovery, and ready to engage.

Resulting in fewer meaningless “views” and more people who actually care.