CPM / Cost Per Impression Calculator
CPM Analysis
CPM (Cost Per 1,000 Impressions)-
Cost Per Single Impression-
Total Impressions-
Estimated Clicks (at CTR)-
Effective CPC-
Estimated Conversions-
Average CPM Rates by Platform (UK)
| Platform | Average CPM | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Google Display Network | £3-£5 | £1-£15 |
| Facebook / Instagram | £5-£10 | £2-£25 |
| YouTube Pre-Roll | £6-£12 | £3-£30 |
| £20-£35 | £10-£60 | |
| TikTok | £4-£8 | £2-£20 |
| Programmatic Display | £2-£6 | £0.50-£15 |
| Premium Publishers | £15-£40 | £10-£80 |
Display Advertising Benchmarks
Display CTR
0.3-0.5%
Rich Media CTR
0.5-1.0%
Video CTR
1.0-2.0%
Social CTR
0.5-1.5%
Brand Lift
5-15%
Viewability
60-70%
How to Use This Calculator
1
Choose what to calculate
Select CPM from budget and impressions, or estimate impressions from budget and CPM.
2
Enter your known values
Input the figures you have — budget, impressions, or CPM rate.
3
Add performance metrics
Enter expected CTR and conversion rate for complete analysis.
4
Review CPM analysis
See CPM, effective CPC, estimated clicks and conversions.
5
Compare with benchmarks
Use the reference table to assess whether your CPM is competitive.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CPM?
CPM stands for Cost Per Mille (mille is Latin for thousand). It is the cost to show your ad 1,000 times. CPM is the standard pricing model for display advertising, video ads, and brand awareness campaigns. You pay for visibility regardless of whether anyone clicks. The formula is (Total Cost / Total Impressions) x 1,000.
What is a good CPM?
A good CPM depends on your platform and targeting. Google Display Network typically costs 3-5 pounds CPM, Facebook 5-10 pounds, YouTube 6-12 pounds, and LinkedIn 20-35 pounds. Narrow targeting (demographics, interests, retargeting) increases CPM but usually improves conversion rates. Context and ad quality also significantly affect CPM.
When should I use CPM vs CPC?
Use CPM for brand awareness campaigns where you want maximum reach and impressions. Use CPC for direct response campaigns where you want clicks and conversions. CPM is cheaper for high-CTR ads (you effectively get cheap clicks), while CPC is safer for low-CTR scenarios where you only pay for actual engagement.
What is effective CPC?
Effective CPC is the actual cost per click when buying on a CPM basis. It is calculated as CPM / (CTR x 10). For example, if your CPM is 8 pounds and your CTR is 0.5%, your effective CPC is 1.60 pounds. If this is lower than the platforms CPC rate, buying on CPM is more cost-effective.
How can I reduce my CPM?
To lower CPM: broaden your targeting (hyper-specific audiences cost more), test different placements, use high-quality creative that platforms reward with lower costs, avoid peak advertising periods (Q4 is most expensive), test smaller platforms like TikTok or Snapchat, and use programmatic buying for efficiency.
Official Sources & References
Data verified against official UK government sources. Last checked April 2026.