Cost per view (CPV) is the average amount you pay each time someone views your video ad. It is the standard cost measure for video campaigns, where the goal is attention rather than clicks or sales.
How to calculate CPV
CPV = ad spend ÷ video views
A coffee roaster spends $400 on a video campaign and gets 20,000 views. Its CPV is $0.02. The formula is simple. The hard part is what counts as a "view", because platforms set that bar differently, and a CPV from one platform can't be compared with another's.
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Try for Free ($0 Trial)Meta's version: cost per ThruPlay
Meta's closest metric to cost per view is cost per ThruPlay, which Meta describes as the average cost for each ThruPlay, "calculated as amount spent divided by 15-second ThruPlays".
ThruPlay is a performance goal "that enables you to reach people who are more likely to watch your video". You choose how the goal counts a view:
- 6s ThruPlay goal: someone watches at least 6 seconds of your video, or to 97% completion if it is shorter than 6 seconds.
- 15s ThruPlay goal: someone watches at least 15 seconds of your video, or to 97% completion if it is shorter than 15 seconds.
A shorter bar is easier to clear, so it tends to show more views at a lower cost per view. Pick the one that fits your video's length, and don't compare cost per ThruPlay across ads that used different goals.
Other ways to measure a view in Meta ads
| Measure | What counts | Cost per view you can work out |
|---|---|---|
| ThruPlay | 6 or 15 seconds, or near the end of a short video | Cost per ThruPlay, shown by Meta |
| 3-second video plays | A play of at least 3 seconds, or nearly the whole video if shorter | Spend divided by 3-second plays |
Dividing spend by 3-second plays gives a cost per view of your own, which is a cheap way to judge how well the first seconds hold people. It is a different thing from hook rate, which shows what share of people who see the ad stay past the opening. Neither says whether anyone bought.
How to use CPV
- Use CPV for upper-funnel goals: awareness, warming a new audience and building a retargeting pool of video viewers.
- Compare CPV only across videos with the same view definition, length and audience.
- Look at what comes after the view. A $0.02 view that never leads to a click or a sale is cheap attention, not cheap customers. Check cost per click (CPC) and cost per result for the same ads.
- Test hooks. The first 3 seconds decide how many people keep watching, so a new opening is the lever with the biggest effect on CPV.
Example. The coffee roaster runs two 20-second videos at $400 each. Video A gets 20,000 ThruPlays, a cost per ThruPlay of $0.02, and 60,000 3-second plays, so $0.0067 per 3-second play. Video B gets 14,000 ThruPlays, $0.0286 each, and 70,000 3-second plays, $0.0057 each. B hooks more people but loses them before the end, so the team keeps B's opening and re-edits the middle.
In Madgicx. Creative Insights breaks down every creative, including video, to show what makes winning ads win and flags creative fatigue. The AI Ad Generator makes new image ads from a prompt, an image or any ad in the Meta Ad Library, so you can test fresh concepts next to your video.
FAQ
What does CPV mean in advertising?
CPV stands for cost per view, the average price of one video view. Some platforms also sell ads on a pay-per-view basis, where you are charged only when someone watches. The definition of a view depends on the platform.
What is cost per ThruPlay?
It is Meta's average cost for each ThruPlay, calculated as amount spent divided by 15-second ThruPlays. A ThruPlay is a view that reaches 15 seconds or, for shorter videos, 97% completion.
Is CPV the same as CPM?
No. CPM is the price of 1,000 impressions, which count every time the ad is on screen. CPV is the price of one view, which needs the person to watch. A video can have a low CPM and a high CPV if few people stay to watch.
What is a good CPV?
It depends on the platform, the video length and your audience, so compare against your own earlier videos. A better test is whether viewers later click, visit or buy.
How do I lower my cost per view?
Open with a strong hook, keep the video short enough for the view goal you chose, and test several openings. Refresh videos that people have seen many times.
Related
- Related terms: Cost per mille (CPM), Cost per click (CPC), Hook rate, Bid strategy
- In depth: Instagram video ads and how they perform
Sources
- About ThruPlay, Meta Business Help Center
- Cost per ThruPlay, Meta Business Help Center
- 3-Second Video Plays, Meta Business Help Center
