HACCTR: The B2B CTR Replacement Metric That Links Media to Revenue
CTR isn’t just outdated in B2B — it’s actively misleading.
It rewards the wrong behaviour, optimises to the wrong audiences, and masks the very signals that actually predict revenue.
HACCTR fixes that. By filtering for High Attention Clicks, it transforms CTR from a vanity metric into a genuine business driver.
Why CTR Is Broken in B2B
Most B2B marketers still optimise to CTR because it’s “easy.” But here’s the truth:
It over-indexes on the wrong people — high CTR often comes from non-ICP curiosity traffic or accidental taps.
It’s blind to pre-click context — a click could come from a 0.5-second accidental scroll on a crowded page.
It ignores post-click behaviour — high CTR campaigns often bounce 80%+ of visitors in under 5 seconds.
I’ve seen campaigns where:
The “winner” by CTR drove no pipeline.
The “loser” by CTR drove fewer clicks but more High Value Actions and closed deals.
Clicks alone don’t predict revenue — and in B2B, they can send you in the exact wrong direction.
What Is HACCTR?
HACCTR = High Attention Click-Through Rate. Yes a new acronym and yes I did make it up (!) - however I strongly think this could be a big step forward. It takes the intent, interest and curiosity of attention metrics and the action of a click.
It’s a re-engineered CTR that only counts clicks proven to come from engaged, intentional exposures — not accidental scrolls or brand tourists.
For a click to be counted in HACCTR, it must pass three filters:
Pre-click attention score — In-view time meets or beats your threshold (e.g., 2.5 seconds), ≥ 75% creative on screen, ad clutter below a set limit. IE it came from an ad placement with a good credit score
Source placement quality — Placement meets attention benchmarks from vendors like Adelaide (AU score), Lumen (gaze time), or Amplified Intelligence (attention seconds).
Post-click validation — Visitor engages with your site: scrolls beyond 50%, interacts with key elements, or completes a tracked High Value Action.
This ensures every click you measure is tied to genuine interest — not just motion. Or an accidental fat thumb…
CTR vs HACCTR in Practice
When you apply HACCTR, two things happen:
CTR numbers drop — but so does wasted spend. Optimising to attention rewards the high credit score placements and improves the likelihood of clicks passing these filters
You suddenly see which channels and creatives actually move accounts forward, and you’re not limited to clickable formats (spoiler, the next wave of addressable ad spend is coming from non-clickable channels like TV)
It’s common to see a campaign with a high CTR collapse under HACCTR scrutiny — while a “low CTR” campaign emerges as the real revenue driver.
HACCTR removes the noise and shows the truth.
How to Measure HACCTR
Step 1: Capture pre-click attention
Use attention measurement vendors (Adelaide AU, Lumen, Amplified Intelligence) or DSP native integrations.
For banners, native, and video, capture view time, % of creative in view, and clutter score.
Step 2: Validate post-click behaviour
Track on-site actions in Matomo, GA4, or via GTM events.
Focus on dwell time, scroll completion, interaction density, and return visits.
Step 3: Calculate HACCTR
It’s simply your total High Attention Clicks divided by impressions — but only after filtering for pre-click and post-click quality.
Cross-Channel Applicability
HACCTR isn’t just for display ads. You can adapt it across channels:
Display & Native: Filters for engaged clicks, not accidental swipes.
CTV & Video: Tracks “High Attention Views” and links them to clicks from companion banners or QR scans.
Audio & DOOH: Uses post-exposure High Value Actions matched via ID graphs instead of clicks.
Why HACCTR Changes the Game
It stops DSP algorithms from chasing cheap, low-quality clicks. DSP algos LOVE this type of inventory, but its misleading and not helpful to revenue goals
It gives you a fair comparison between clickable and non-clickable media.
It ensures your optimisation signals are clean — feeding platform AI only the interactions that matter.
When you optimise to HACCTR instead of CTR, you’re optimising to curiosity, interest, and intent — not just motion.
Where HACCTR Fits in the Bigger Picture
HACCTR is just one part of the Unmatched 100 Signals system — our complete framework for capturing, scoring, and activating the buying signals that actually drive pipeline.
In the book, you’ll get:
The full HACCTR scoring template
100+ High Value Actions to link with HACCTR
An editable weighting model to deploy in 30 days or less
HACCTR feels like the bridge B2B marketers have been missing finally connecting clicks with actual intent and post-click engagement. CTR has been misleading us for too long.
This could genuinely reset how B2B marketing defines performance. If adopted widely, HACCTR would finally align media optimisation with pipeline outcomes.