What is CPC (cost per click)?
Also called CPC, cost per click, cost per link click, pay per click.
CPC stands for cost per click: the average amount an advertiser pays for each click on an ad. It is calculated as the amount spent divided by the number of clicks.
Why it matters
CPC shows what it costs to get someone interested enough to act, for example to visit your website or booking page. For a small business whose goal is traffic or enquiries, it is often more useful than CPM, because it is closer to the result you actually want.
Example
A plumber runs an ad for boiler servicing that links to a booking page. Over a week, the ad gets 80 link clicks for the budget spent. Comparing that week's CPC with a second ad that uses a different photo shows which version brings visitors more cheaply.
How CPC is calculated
CPC = amount spent ÷ clicks. A worked example with made-up numbers, for illustration only: you spend $45 and the ad gets 90 link clicks. CPC = $45 ÷ 90 = $0.50 per click.
Meta defines CPC (cost per link click) as how much, on average, each link click costs you. Meta also reports a broader CPC (all), which counts other kinds of clicks on the ad as well as link clicks. For website traffic, cost per link click is usually the better number to watch.
CPC as a metric vs CPC as a way to pay
CPC is always a metric you can look at, whatever you were charged for. On some platforms and goals it can also be how you pay: Meta, for example, says that if you choose to be charged for link clicks, you're charged on a cost per link click basis. In many other setups you are charged for impressions, and CPC is simply worked out afterwards.
How to lower your CPC
A lower CPC usually comes from a better match between ad, audience and offer, not from tricks.
- Make the reason to click obvious in the first line and in the image or video.
- Use a clear call to action that matches what happens after the click.
- Tighten the audience so the ad reaches people likely to care.
- Test one change at a time, such as the image, the headline or the offer.
- Refresh ads that people have seen too many times.
- Send people to a page that loads quickly and matches the ad, so the clicks you pay for turn into results.
When not to rely on CPC
A cheap click is worthless if the visitor leaves straight away. Watch what happens after the click too: bookings, sign-ups, sales or calls. An ad with a higher CPC but more customers is the better ad. Clickbait headlines can lower CPC while bringing the wrong people, and may break the platform's ad rules.
Common questions
What is a good CPC on social media?
It depends on your platform, country, industry and offer, so there's no single benchmark worth trusting. The useful question is whether your CPC is low enough that the customers you win cover the cost.
Is CPC the same as pay per click (PPC)?
Closely related. PPC is a way of buying ads where you pay per click; CPC is the price of each click. People often use the terms interchangeably.
What's the difference between CPC and click-through rate?
Click-through rate (CTR) is the share of people who clicked after seeing the ad. CPC is what each of those clicks cost. A higher CTR often brings CPC down, because you pay for the same views but get more clicks from them.
Sources: Meta Business Help Centre: CPC (cost per link click), checked 14 October 2026; Meta Business Help Centre: charges for ads that don't receive impressions or clicks, checked 14 October 2026; Meta Business Help Centre: glossary of ad terms, checked 14 October 2026