Setting an Impression Objective on a Line Item
Define your line item with an impression target instead of a budget objective — the budget then acts as a safety cap.
What is an impression objective?
When setting up a Line Item (Step 1: Setup), you can choose between two types of objectives:
- Target budget: the line item delivers until the budget is fully spent.
- Target impressions: the line item delivers until a defined number of impressions is reached.
When selecting a Target impressions objective, you still need to set a budget. This budget acts as a limit and safety net — it will never be exceeded.
When does the line item stop?
The line item stops as soon as one of the following conditions is met:
- The end date is reached
- The impression objective is reached (even if budget remains)
- The budget is fully spent (even if the impression objective has not been reached)
Where to set it up?
In Step 1-Setup: select Target impressions under Line item objective, then enter your target number of impressions and set your budget.

In Step 5-Summary: you'll find a reminder of your target impressions alongside the rest of your line item configuration.

How is it reflected in the Campaign Summary?
The "Line Item Budget" column has been renamed "Line Item Target" to reflect both objective types:
- Target budget → displays the monetary value
- Target impressions → displays the target number of impressions
If the budget is fully spent before the impression objective is reached, a tooltip will appear in the Campaign Summary to flag this situation and suggest increasing the budget.
Can the impression objective be exceeded?
A slight overdelivery may occur. Since impressions are purchased in batches, the line item may deliver a few additional impressions before the system registers that the objective has been reached.
The maximum overdelivery is calculated as follows:
Maximum overdelivery = (5 / CPM) × 1,000
Example: For a CPM of €10, the maximum overdelivery is 500 impressions.
FAQ
What happens if the budget is exhausted before reaching the impression target?
- The line item stops. A tooltip in the Media Buying table flags this situation. Increase the budget to automatically resume the line item.
Is the remaining budget spent if the impression target is reached before the end date?
- No. The line item stops immediately upon reaching the target, regardless of remaining budget or time.