CPV (Cost Per View) is the cost paid each time a video ad gets viewed. The reach-efficiency metric for YouTube, Meta Reels, TikTok and other video platforms. Important detail: "view" is defined differently on each platform, so cross-platform CPV comparisons are usually invalid.
formula
CPV = Total Ad Spend / Total Views
"view" defined per platform
- YouTube TrueView in-stream: 30 seconds watched OR ad interaction (click, expand).
- YouTube Shorts: 10 seconds or completed.
- Meta (Facebook/Instagram) video: 3 seconds.
- Meta ThruPlay: 15 seconds or video end.
- TikTok: 6 seconds.
- LinkedIn video: 2 seconds at 50% visible.
"TikTok CPV is cheaper than Meta" is often a meaningless statement at face value; equate the threshold first.
VTR (View-Through Rate)
The companion metric: VTR = Views / Impressions × 100. Of users who started the ad, what % made it to the view threshold. YouTube TrueView VTR > 30% is good, > 50% excellent.
CPV vs vCPM vs ThruPlay CPM
- CPV · engagement-counted view (skippable formats).
- vCPM · viewable thousand impressions (non-skippable).
- ThruPlay CPM · thousand views to ad completion.
vCPM for awareness, CPV for consideration, ThruPlay CPM for deep engagement.
lowering CPV
- 5-second hook · YouTube punishes ads losing viewers in the first 5s.
- Length match · 60-second creative on TikTok abandons 80%+.
- Targeting tightness · broad targeting cuts CPV but tanks VTR; total cost per qualified view rises.
- Placement exclusion · children's content, irrelevant categories on YouTube buy empty views.
Example: A bank ran a YouTube campaign at $0.05 CPV with 12% VTR. Rewriting the first 5s; replacing product-pitch open with question-open; pushed CPV up to $0.08, but VTR jumped to 34%; cost-per-click on the same budget dropped 42%.