This field record asks whether video ads earn a higher link click-through rate (CTR) than image ads in live Meta auctions. The short name used in the repository directory is the video vs image CTR study. It is a companion contrast to the video vs image CPM and CPC study, computed from the same ad pool and kept as a separate record.

Across n=4,952 Meta ads from clients sampled of various industries in June 2026 auctions, impression-weighted link CTR for video creatives is 88% higher than for image creatives (1.32% vs 0.70%; index 188 vs 100). In this observational contrast, video ads do show higher CTRs than image ads.

Sample

The asset set is dataset EMR-2026-07C, derived from the same June 2026 Meta ad pool as EMR-2026-07B: 4,952 ads with measurable spend (1,199 video; 3,753 image) from a random sample of advertiser accounts that each spent at least $100,000 that month. Clients sampled of various industries. No new Graph pull was required; CTR uses the click and impression totals already recorded for that sample.

Contrast

Two creative classes are compared using the same classification as EMR-2026-07B: video when the creative carries a video identifier; image when it carries an image hash or photo/link object type without a video identifier. The outcome is impression-weighted link CTR (inline link clicks ÷ impressions, with the same clicks fallback used in the CPM/CPC record). Indexed to image ads at 100, video ads land at 188.

Findings

Yes—in this June 2026 Meta window, video creatives clear a substantially higher link CTR than image creatives on a pooled, impression-weighted basis. The relative gap (+88%) is larger than the CPC advantage reported in the companion CPM/CPC study, consistent with video also carrying a higher delivery CPM in that record.

Video draws nearly twice the clicks per impression

Link clicks per 1,000 impressions, impression-weighted, Meta auctions, June 2026

Image7.0 clicksVideo13.2 clicks+88%

Source: Darwin IQ Labs, dataset EMR-2026-07C · 4,952 Meta ads (1,199 video, 3,753 image) · Clients sampled of various industries

Price eats part of the click advantage

How video's cost per click is built from image's, using pooled CTR and CPM

$0.00$0.50$1.00$1.50$2.00$1.74Image adcost per click−$0.82Video's higherclick-through rate+$0.55Video's higherprice per impression$1.47Video adcost per click

Note: The 88% CTR advantage would cut cost per click by about 47% on its own; video's 59% higher CPM leaves a net 16% reduction.

Source: Darwin IQ Labs, datasets EMR-2026-07C and EMR-2026-07B · CPC = CPM ÷ (CTR × 1,000); middle bars apply video's CTR at image CPM, then video's CPM

What this record does not claim

  • No creative-level file, account list, or brand identifiers are released with EMR-2026-07C.
  • No confidence interval or client-level subgroup split is part of this release.
  • The comparison is an observational field contrast in live Meta auctions, reported as observed. It is not presented as a laboratory randomization or as a causal estimate of format on CTR after controlling for objective, placement, or audience.