Average cost per thousand impressions
also called CPMAvg CPM
Definition
The average cost of a thousand ad impressions, as reported by Google Ads.
Scope, grain and dimensions
- Grain
- Would be one number per date range if it were surfaced.
- Aggregation
- Defined in the semantic layer as an average of the ad platform's per-row CPM, but not reachable through any tool.
- Metric type
- monetary · account currency per thousand impressions
Data sources
Where you'll see this
Named reports that normally include this metric.
Paid search performance report
Method rungs and levers
A rung tells you what a movement here can and cannot explain, read the rungs below it first.
levers L8 Paid/organic interplay
Ask Quattr
- "What is our CPM?" Simulate this →
Caveats, freshness and failure modes
Not available through any tool today.
Requests for CPM should be answered with what is available, cost, cost per click and cost per conversion, rather than with a substitute number.
- Freshness
- ~1 day behind, Ads reporting settles overnight; same-day spend is provisional.
Common failure modes
- Substituting cost divided by impressions and presenting it as CPM.
Not the same as
The confusions that cause the most wrong decisions.
Average cost per thousand impressions Average cost per click Compare definitions →
CPM prices exposure, CPC prices a click. They are not interchangeable and one cannot stand in for the other.
Related metrics and workflows
Verification
A definition is the smallest part of this.
The measurement matters because something acts on it. Here is the rest of the showcase, in the order most people find useful.