CPC vs CPM vs CPA: which number to watch

CPC vs CPM vs CPA: which number to watch

Three quick terms. CPC = Cost Per Click, what you pay each tap. CPM = Cost Per Mille, the cost for 1,000 views. CPA = Cost Per Action, what you pay per real result like a sale.

How to use each:
— CPM: tells you how expensive your reach is — a creative and audience signal.
— CPC: tells you if the video is interesting enough to earn taps.
— CPA: the one that pays your bills, since it counts actual outcomes.

The tradeoff: low CPC and CPM feel nice but mean nothing if CPA is bad. Chasing cheap clicks can hide unprofitable campaigns.

Try this: write all three down for one campaign, then ask 'is CPA below my break-even?' first. Don't worry if the others look ugly — CPA is the boss number.