CPC (cost per click)
CPC is the average cost of a single click on an ad, calculated as spend divided by clicks.
CPC prices response rather than exposure, which makes it the natural metric for campaigns built to drive clicks. It connects to CPM and click-through rate: CPC equals CPM divided by a thousand, divided by CTR, so stronger creative that lifts CTR lowers CPC from the same impressions.
On its own, CPC says nothing about what happens after the click. A cheap click that never converts is more expensive than an expensive click that does, so CPC is best watched alongside conversion rate and cost per acquisition.
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