Paid Media

Cost Per Mille (CPM)

Also: CPM, Cost Per Thousand

The cost to show your ad one thousand times, the standard pricing model for awareness and display buying.

Why it matters

CPM is how impression-based, awareness-focused media is priced, so it is the relevant metric when the goal is reach rather than clicks or conversions.

How it is calculated

CPM = (total spend / impressions) x 1000.

What good looks like

A sensible CPM varies widely by channel and audience quality; for awareness it should be weighed against audience relevance, not minimized in isolation.

Related terms

Cost Per Click (CPC)Display AdvertisingAudience TargetingPaid Social
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