About

In the high-stakes world of video advertising, knowing your Cost Per View (CPV) is the difference between a viral success and a drained budget. Whether you are running campaigns on YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram Reels, CPV acts as the primary barometer for audience engagement and bidding efficiency. It measures exactly how much you pay every time a user watches your video ad.

However, a raw number tells you nothing without context. Is a $0.05 CPV good? For a skippable YouTube ad, perhaps. For a TikTok Spark Ad? Maybe not. This tool doesn't just crunch the numbers; it contextualizes them. By comparing your results against current industry standards, you can determine if your creative is resonating or if your bidding strategy needs an overhaul. Low CPV often indicates high relevance and strong creative, while a high CPV suggests ad fatigue or poor targeting.

Formulas

The core formula for assessing video cost efficiency is straightforward, dividing the total budget spent by the qualified views generated:

CPV = Total CostTotal Views

Where Total Views are defined by the platform's specific retention threshold (e.g., 30 seconds for YouTube, 2 seconds for impression-based views).

Reference Data

Platform	Ad Format	Avg. CPV (Low)	Avg. CPV (High)	Good CPV Target
YouTube	In-Stream (Skippable)	$0.010	$0.030	< $0.020
YouTube	In-Stream (Non-Skip)	$0.015	$0.025	< $0.018
YouTube	Shorts	$0.003	$0.012	< $0.008
Facebook	Video Feeds	$0.020	$0.120	< $0.040
Instagram	Stories	$0.030	$0.100	< $0.050
Instagram	Reels	$0.010	$0.060	< $0.030
TikTok	In-Feed Ads	$0.008	$0.040	< $0.020
TikTok	TopView	$0.020	$0.050	< $0.030
LinkedIn	Video Ads	$0.080	$0.250	< $0.120
Twitter (X)	Promoted Video	$0.005	$0.050	< $0.020
Snapchat	Commercials	$0.020	$0.070	< $0.030

Frequently Asked Questions

High CPV usually stems from three issues: low Creative Quality Score (platforms charge more for ads users skip), narrow Audience Targeting (competition is higher for specific demographics), or low Click-Through Rate (CTR). If your ad doesn't hook viewers in the first 3 seconds, platforms deem it irrelevant and raise your costs.

Not necessarily. A very low CPV (e.g., $0.001) might mean you are getting cheap traffic from low-value placements or irrelevant audiences who don't convert. Always balance CPV with lower-funnel metrics like CPA (Cost Per Action) or ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) to ensure the views are actually driving business value.

YouTube typically counts a 'view' when a user watches 30 seconds of your ad (or the whole ad if it's shorter) or interacts with it. TikTok and Instagram often count a view much earlier (sometimes instantly or after 2 seconds). This makes cross-platform CPV comparison tricky; you usually pay more for a YouTube view, but it represents a deeper engagement.

Focus on the 'Hook Rate'. Ensure the first 3 seconds are visually arresting. Broaden your targeting slightly to find cheaper pockets of inventory. Also, verify your bidding strategy; switching from 'Maximum CPV' to 'Target CPV' can sometimes help the algorithm find cheaper conversions.