Last updated: October 1, 2026 · Will Cousin, VinScroll
What should a dealer look for in their own Meta ad account?
Start with four numbers in Meta Ads Manager: link clicks, cost per link click, where the ads ran, and frequency. Then check whose name is on the account. When the ads run in your own ad account, you can verify every number a vendor reports and keep the campaign history if you fire them.
Why should the ad account be in the dealership's name?
So you can check what a vendor tells you. Ryan Everson, a dealer on DealerRefresh, described a common pattern in July 2024: "they'll share a few select examples... Then you launch, and you realize you're lucky if a video gets more than 10 views." When the ads run in your own account, you see the spend and results straight from Meta. You can also fire a vendor without losing the account or its campaign history.
What numbers should I check first?
Set the date range to the last full month and add these columns from the Columns menu if they aren't showing.
| Metric | What it tells you | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Link clicks | Taps that left Meta for your website | Use this, not Clicks (all), which also counts likes and photo taps |
| Cost per link click | What each of those taps cost | Compare it to what a listing site costs you per VDP view |
| Placements | Where the ads ran: Feed, Reels, Stories, and others | Spend on placements you didn't expect, found under Breakdown |
| Frequency | How many times the average person saw your ads | A rising number while link clicks stay flat |
What is a normal click-through rate for dealer ads on Meta?
LocaliQ/WordStream's Facebook Ads Benchmarks 2025 put the automotive category at about 0.8% click-through for traffic campaigns, against 1.71% across all industries. That category tracks repair, services, and parts rather than dealer sales, so treat it as a rough reference point. Compare it to your link click-through rate, not the default CTR column, which counts every tap on the ad.
source (checked September 30, 2026)
How do I check a vendor's report against the account?
Match the vendor's date range in Ads Manager and compare spend, link clicks, and cost per link click line by line. Then compare link clicks with the VDP views your site analytics recorded from those ads. Some shoppers tap and leave before the page loads, so VDP views run a little lower. If the vendor's numbers are higher than both Meta and your site analytics, ask why in writing.
What if I can't see the account at all?
Ask for it. The ad account should belong to the dealership's own Meta business portfolio, with someone at the store as an admin and the vendor added as a partner. If a vendor will only run ads in its own account, find out before you sign what reports you get and what you keep when you leave.
Related
Common questions
What's the difference between link clicks and Clicks (all)?
Link clicks count taps that go to your website. Clicks (all) also counts likes, comments, profile taps, and taps to expand a photo, so it always runs higher. For inventory ads, link clicks tell you how many shoppers went to look at a car.
What frequency is too high?
No single number fits every store. Watch the trend instead. If frequency keeps climbing while link clicks stay flat or fall, the same shoppers keep seeing the same ads. New creative or a wider radius are the usual fixes to test.
Do VinScroll dealers get access to the ad account?
Yes. Ad spend runs at cost in your own Meta ad account, so you can check every number in Ads Manager yourself. You also get a monthly plain-English email report with reach, video views, VDP clicks, and cost per VDP view.
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