What Google’s New Built-In Video Analytics Means for Your Ads (And How to Use It)

Video ads just got a whole lot smarter.

If you’re running video campaigns on Google Ads, you’ll know how tricky it can be to truly understand what’s working. Are people watching your ad? Are they skipping it in the first two seconds? Which part is actually driving clicks? Until now, you'd need to connect the dots using third-party tools or guess based on vague engagement stats.

But Google has just made life easier. They've officially rolled out a built-in video analytics feature — giving advertisers access to detailed performance breakdowns directly inside the Google Ads interface.

Here’s what’s new, why it matters, and how to start using it.

Why This Is a Big Deal for Advertisers

Before this update, understanding how people interacted with your video ads meant piecing together data from multiple sources. You might have relied on YouTube Analytics, skimmed over basic view metrics in Google Ads, or used external tracking tools. But none of it was centralised — or particularly insightful.

This new built-in video analytics dashboard changes that. It brings advanced viewer engagement data right into your Google Ads account. For advertisers, this means quicker insights, better decisions, and less time jumping between platforms.

Key benefits include:

• Detailed engagement metrics (like average watch time, view-through rate, and quartile reporting)

• Timeline-level breakdowns to see where people drop off or click

• Easier A/B testing of creative without guesswork

This update levels the playing field, making video performance data more accessible for smaller advertisers too — not just big-budget brands with full analytics teams.

What You Can Track With Built-In Video Analytics

Google's new dashboard gives you access to a range of data points that were either hidden or hard to reach before. These insights go way beyond basic "views" or "clicks."

Here’s what’s included:

• View-through rate (VTR): The percentage of people who watched your ad to the end without skipping. This shows how engaging your video actually is.

• Average watch time: How long people are sticking around. This tells you if the intro grabs attention — or loses it.

• Quartile tracking: Google now breaks your video into 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% views. This helps pinpoint where people are dropping off.

• Engagement spikes: Visual charts show where viewers interact, click, or convert. Great for spotting what messaging lands best.

• Device and demographic breakdowns: Find out if mobile users engage more, or if certain age groups drop off faster.

These aren’t just vanity metrics — they help you make smarter decisions on what to cut, keep, or test next.

How to Access and Use the New Analytics Features

Google is rolling this feature out now, and most advertisers using video campaigns should start seeing the new dashboard automatically. You don’t need to install anything or change your campaign settings — it will appear as part of your existing video campaign reporting.

To find it:

1. Log in to your Google Ads account

2. Head to your video campaign

3. Click on “Analytics” or “Engagement” under the “Assets” or “Videos” tab

From there, you’ll see visual graphs and breakdowns by time, percentage viewed, and more.

Tips for using it effectively:

• Look for drop-off points to improve intros

• Use quartile data to cut down long videos that lose interest early

• Compare high VTR videos to low ones to spot creative patterns

• Combine insights with conversion tracking to find your true top performers

This update isn’t just about data — it’s about creative direction. You can finally make edits based on hard evidence, not just hunches.

Final Thoughts: Smarter Video Ads Start With Better Data

If you're investing in video advertising, you want it to work hard for your budget. But that only happens when you understand what your audience responds to — and what they don’t. Google's new built-in video analytics takes the guesswork out of the equation.

It gives you clarity, insight, and control. And it’s now available to everyone, right inside the platform you’re already using.

Whether you’re running bumper ads, in-stream ads, or full-on YouTube campaigns, this feature will help you optimise faster, create better content, and ultimately get better results.