Meta link clicks: the only traffic column

Definition

Link clicks count the clicks leading to a destination: website, app store, native form or messaging.

Worked example

An ad records 4,200 clicks of all types and 1,100 link clicks. The all-clicks CTR comes out at 3.5%, the link CTR at 0.9%. Only the second corresponds to traffic, and it's the one to compare against the sessions measured on the site.

Orders of magnitude

A ratio of two to four between all-type clicks and link clicks is common on engaging social formats. The larger the gap, the more the ad generates interaction without a visit.

The most common mistakes

• Using the default column without checking which is shown. The manager offers both, and the choice isn't always explicit.
• Comparing a Meta all-clicks CTR to a Google Ads CTR. The latter counts only clicks to the site.
• Concluding good performance from a high all-clicks CTR. Lots of interaction without a visit can signal a poorly framed ad.

Where to find the metric

In Meta, the Link clicks, CTR (link click-through rate) and CPC (cost per link click) columns, to distinguish from their "all" equivalents. Google Ads and LinkedIn Ads have only one notion of a click, equivalent to a link click.