What does "impressions" mean in digital marketing?

In digital marketing, "impressions" refers to the number of times an ad or piece of content is displayed to users. This metric indicates the potential audience reached, regardless of whether they interacted with the content or not. Each time an ad appears on a screen, whether or not it is clicked or viewed for a certain duration, it counts as one impression.

Understanding impressions is crucial for measuring the visibility of a marketing campaign and evaluating how often the target audience is exposed to the messaging. It is distinct from engagement metrics, which focus on user interactions such as clicks, likes, or shares, emphasizing that impressions gauge exposure rather than direct interaction.