Click-through rate (CTR) has always been one of the most trusted metrics to determine an ad’s effectiveness. Quite simply put, it is the number of clicks the ad receives divided by the number of times the ad was displayed (i.e. number of impressions).

But clicking on the ad is not the only way a user demonstrates interaction.  With the new Google Adwords Product and Location extensions, users can often find out a great deal of information without the converting click.

Google Adwords has just rolled out a new free click report that allows advertisers to understand what types of interactions or ‘free clicks’ are taking place. Ads with high rates of free clicks may indicate to advertisers that they are providing enough information via ad extensions (i.e. address and telephone number) that negate the need to ‘click’ the ad at all. For example, an ad that may have a low CTR, yet a high free click rate for ‘get directions’ can demonstrate instore intent and therefore prove very successful in driving instore traffic.

One of the other metrics captured in this new report is video ad play percentages. In this case, the free click type of data from Google indicates what percentage of your video ad was watched. People dropping off after only a 25% view? That insight just turned into a wakeup call to shake up your creative.

To view these ‘Free click’ reports, view the Dimensions tab of your Adwords account. If the tab is not visible, simply enable it by clicking the arrow button next to your existing tabs above the performance table.

With all of the additional features Google Adwords keeps rolling out, it’s important to keep your eye on new metrics that may provide additional insight. This free click report can be very helpful in understanding ad interactions without the all-important converting click.