What is CPM (Cost Per Mille)?
Cost Per Mille (CPM), where ‘mille’ is Latin for thousand, is the cost an advertiser pays for 1,000 ad impressions. Unlike CPC (cost per click), CPM charges for exposure rather than engagement. It is the standard pricing model for display advertising, social media awareness campaigns, and programmatic advertising.
Why It Matters
CPM is the most relevant metric for brand awareness and reach-focused campaigns where the goal is maximum visibility rather than immediate conversions. It allows advertisers to compare the cost efficiency of reaching audiences across different platforms and ad formats.
How It Works
CPM = (Total Ad Spend ÷ Total Impressions) × 1,000. Average CPMs vary significantly by platform: Meta Ads average $7–$14 CPM. Google Display Network: $2–$5 CPM. YouTube: $6–$15 CPM. LinkedIn: $30–$80 CPM (highest quality B2B audience). TikTok: $8–$18 CPM. LinkedIn’s high CPM is offset by its unparalleled ability to target decision-makers in specific industries.
Real-World Example
Digital Media Run invests $1,000 in a Facebook awareness campaign targeting small business owners interested in digital marketing. With a $10 CPM, the campaign delivers 100,000 impressions. If 2% of those people click through (CTR), 2,000 visits are generated. This calculates to an effective CPC of $0.50 — cheaper than the typical Google Ads CPC for the same audience.

