What Is CPCV? Deep Dive + Cost Per Completed View Formula

As a professional marketer, you might feel like there are more metrics and acronyms out there than you can keep track of. From NPS to ROI to KPI, these acronyms seem meaningless—unless you understand their true importance to your brand.

CPCV is one of those acronyms you may have heard tossed around a lot in the marketing world. So, what is CPCV? And even more importantly—what is a good CPCV? Check out our guide to learn everything you need about CPCV for your company.

What Is CPCV?

CPCV stands for “cost per completed view.” This metric measures the effectiveness of video content in marketing—specifically, how much an advertiser pays a publisher each time their video is watched.

How to Calculate Completed Views

The CPCV formula is straightforward to calculate. Simply divide the campaign budget by the completed views to obtain the number.

Total Campaign Cost / Completed Views = CPCV

For example, if a video campaign costs $300 and receives 1000 completed views, the CPCV would be $0.30.

What Is a Good CPCV?

As you may have guessed, the lower the CPCV, the better. A high CPCV means you’re spending a lot of money to get your video in front of your target audience, while a low CPCV means your video ad is performing well. Most CPCV prices range from $0.10-0.30, with a $0.10 ad being the more desirable end of the spectrum.

How to Improve CPCV

Frustrated by a high CPCV? Fortunately, there are many quick ways to improve this metric and get a more engaged audience that converts. Here are some tips for improving CPCV:

• Create Several Aspect Ratios: Viewers use various devices to watch video content, from mobile devices to desktop computers. Upload videos in several different aspect ratios to ensure they are optimized for any device.

• Widen Your Target Audience: The more targeted your ad is, the higher the competition. If your CPCV is too high, try widening your target to include more potential viewers.

• Shorten Your Video: Today’s consumers have a short attention span, so they’re more likely to view a short video than a long one. To optimize CPCV, try cutting your video down by 5-10 seconds.

• Rotate Your Ads: Publishers favor fresh content, so it’s best to rotate between 2 and 3 videos for your ad auction. Otherwise, you may develop “ad fatigue” and lose completed views over time.

CPV vs. CPCV

Another popular metric for measuring the success of video ads is the cost per view. So naturally, you may be wondering how to compare CPV vs. CPCV.

In short, CPV is measured when a viewer watches a video for at least 1 second, while CPCV is measured when a viewer watches a whole video. CPCV is usually a better metric since it indicates true engagement from the viewer.

How Do CPMs Work?

CPM (cost per thousand/cost per mille) is another metric to price video content. So, how do CPMs work? This number is calculated by adding up the total impressions and multiplying that number by the CPM rate, then dividing by 1,000.

(Total impressions x CPM rate) / 1,000 = CPM

Marketers decide on a target CPM before publishing a video and then determine its success by comparing CPM to other metrics like CPCV or CPV. CPM may be influenced by the publisher's geography, the amount of data used to view the ad, the type of device the video is viewed on, and more.

Improve Your CPCV Today

Implementing CPCV into your video marketing strategy can help you save money and increase your return on investment. And if you’re looking for more help with your advertising strategy, Agility can help. Schedule a call with our team today to learn more about our relevant, personalized ad experience. You’ll love using Agility for all your marketing needs, from ad creative production to detailed analytics.