ThruPlay is a video optimisation setting in Meta Ads that tells the platform to show your ad to people most likely to watch it to completion (or at least 15 seconds for longer videos). If your campaign goal is video views, ThruPlay is the bidding option that focuses Meta’s algorithm on quality viewers rather than anyone who glances at your clip for a split second.
The 2-second view metric is easy to hit and keeps costs low, but you are essentially paying to be glimpsed. ThruPlay asks Meta’s algorithm to find people who will actually sit with your content, which is far more useful if your video carries a specific message, an offer, or a brand story that needs time to land.
Table of Contents
- What ThruPlay Actually Means
- ThruPlay vs 2-Second Video Views
- When ThruPlay Makes Sense for Your Campaign
- How ThruPlay Affects Your Ad Costs
- Setting Up ThruPlay Correctly
- Things to Know
Key Takeaways
- ThruPlay optimises for viewers who watch your video to completion or at least 15 seconds.
- It is best suited to awareness and consideration campaigns, not direct conversion goals.
- Shorter videos (under 15 seconds) are counted as complete views under ThruPlay rules.
- Cost per ThruPlay is typically higher than cost per 2-second view, but the audience quality is better.
- ThruPlay audiences can be retargeted, making them a useful top-of-funnel asset.
- Pairing ThruPlay campaigns with a retargeting sequence converts awareness into leads or sales.
What ThruPlay Actually Means
When you set up a video ad in Meta Ads Manager and choose the Video Views objective, you are given two optimisation options: 2-Second Continuous Video Views or ThruPlay. Selecting ThruPlay instructs the algorithm to find people who are likely to watch your video all the way through, or for a minimum of 15 seconds if the video runs longer than that. Meta counts a ThruPlay as:- A complete view for videos under 15 seconds in length.
- A 15-second view for videos that run longer than 15 seconds.
ThruPlay vs 2-Second Video Views
Choosing between these two options is one of the more misunderstood decisions in video campaign setup. Here is how they compare side by side:| Feature | ThruPlay | 2-Second Video Views |
| Optimisation goal | Full watch or 15s minimum | Any 2-second continuous view |
| Audience quality | Higher intent viewers | Broader, passive audience |
| Cost per result | Generally higher | Generally lower |
| Best for | Storytelling, brand education | Reach, broad awareness |
| Retargeting value | High (engaged viewers) | Low to moderate |
| Ideal video length | Under 30 seconds | Any length |
When ThruPlay Makes Sense for Your Campaign
ThruPlay is not the right choice for every situation. It shines in specific scenarios: Brand awareness with a message to deliver. If your video explains a service, walks through a product benefit, or introduces your brand to a cold audience, you want people to actually watch it. ThruPlay ensures you are paying for genuine attention. Building a warm retargeting audience. People who watch 75% or 100% of your video are custom audience segments you can create in Meta Ads Manager. These viewers have demonstrated real interest. Running a ThruPlay campaign to build that pool, then following up with a conversion-focused ad, is a well-structured funnel move. Short-form content on Reels and Stories. If your creative is under 15 seconds and punchy, ThruPlay is a natural fit because the threshold for a counted view is already a complete watch. You are not paying for people who bailed at the second frame. ThruPlay is less useful when your primary goal is conversions, leads, or purchases, and in those cases you should use a conversions or leads objective with cost-per-result bidding instead of a video views optimisation.How ThruPlay Affects Your Ad Costs
Cost per ThruPlay varies based on your industry, audience size, creative quality, and the competitiveness of the Australian market at the time your campaign runs. As a general principle, expect to pay more per ThruPlay than per 2-second view because you are getting a more qualified result. Key factors that influence your ThruPlay cost:- Video length. Shorter videos are easier for Meta to find complete viewers for, which can lower cost.
- Creative hook. If your first 2-3 seconds fail to hold attention, Meta will struggle to find ThruPlay completions and your cost will rise.
- Audience size. Very narrow audiences can restrict delivery and push costs up.
- Placement. Reels and Stories tend to perform differently from in-feed placements for video completion rates.
Setting Up ThruPlay Correctly
Here is how to set it up without wasting budget:- Choose the Video Views objective in Meta Ads Manager.
- At the ad set level, under Optimisation and Delivery, select ThruPlay (not 2-Second Continuous Video Views).
- Upload a video creative that is ideally under 30 seconds. Under 15 seconds works best for low cost-per-ThruPlay.
- Write a hook-first script: open with a bold statement, question, or visual that makes stopping feel like a loss.
- After the campaign runs for at least 7 days, build a custom audience of people who watched 75% or 100% of your video.
- Use that custom audience as the retargeting pool for your next conversion or lead gen campaign.
Things to Know
- ThruPlay is only available when you select the Video Views objective. It does not appear in other campaign types.
- If your video is under 15 seconds, every complete view counts as a ThruPlay, making short creative a cost-efficient choice.
- You can run ThruPlay across all placements including Feed, Reels, Stories, and In-Stream, but creative should be tailored to each format where possible.
- ThruPlay data does not directly optimise for conversions, so do not use it as your primary objective if sales or leads are the end goal.
- Australian advertisers competing in crowded verticals like finance, real estate, and ecommerce will typically see higher costs per ThruPlay during peak ad periods (November-December).