How to Calculate CPM to Compare Influencer Marketing, Targeted Ads, and Pay-Per-View

For Brands Series. 1. How to Launch a Task on Prime Oracles · 2. How to Write a Brief for Short-Form Video Creators · 3. How to Calculate Cost Per 1,000 Impressions — you are here

An influencer post, a Telegram promo, targeted ads, pay-per-view—each channel has its own pricing, and comparing them by gut feeling is pointless. The only fair way to compare them is to use a single metric: the cost per 1,000 impressions. This metric is called CPM (Cost Per Mille). In Russian search queries, it's often typed in Cyrillic as «СРМ».

Below, you'll find the formula, a breakdown for each channel, real data from our campaigns, and a crucial caveat: a cheap impression does not mean a cheap customer.

Time required: 20 minutes, assuming you have data from past campaigns handy.

In a Nutshell

• CPM is the cost per 1,000 impressions. The formula is the same for any channel: Cost ÷ Impressions × 1,000.
• The golden rule: Calculate using actual impressions, not follower counts or promises.
• An impression is not a customer. After calculating CPM, you must track how many people clicked through and how many converted.
• On Prime Oracles, the cost per 1,000 views is clear upfront. For pay-per-view tasks, it's the rate specified in the brief. For threshold-based tasks, it's the reward for the highest threshold reached, divided by the video's total views.

CPM, CPV, and Flat-Fee Posts Explained

With a flat fee, you bear the risk: if a post underperforms, the money is already spent. With CPM and CPV, you pay for actual results. To compare a flat fee with other models, you must also convert it to a cost per 1,000 impressions.

How to Calculate CPM for Each Channel

The formula is always the same: CPM = Cost ÷ Impressions × 1,000. The only variable is where you source the impression count. All numbers below are hypothetical examples; be sure to plug in your own.

Telegram Channel Promo

Use the post's view count 48-72 hours after publication, as growth typically stagnates after this point.

A post cost $60 and received 20,000 views: $60 ÷ 20,000 × 1,000 = $3 per 1,000.

Influencer Integration

Base your calculation on actual views, not follower counts. If the video has not been released, use the average view count of the creator's last ten videos. Follower numbers say nothing about how many people will see your ad.

An integration cost $350, and the creator's average views are 60,000: $350 ÷ 60,000 × 1,000 ≈ $5.80 per 1,000.

Targeted Ads

Your ad platform usually displays the CPM automatically. If not, divide your total ad spend by the number of impressions from your report and multiply by 1,000.

Pay-Per-View

There's almost nothing to calculate here: the rate per 1,000 views in the brief is your cost per 1,000.

Threshold-Based Payment

Here, the creator receives a one-time, fixed payment for the highest threshold their video reaches. Therefore, the cost per 1,000 views depends on how many views the video accumulated within its tier.

Thresholds: from 100,000 views — $21, from 500,000 — $48, from 1M — $97.
A video with 100,000 views: $21 ÷ 100,000 × 1,000 = $0.21 per 1,000.
A video with 400,000 views—the payout is still $21, meaning the cost is $0.05 per 1,000.
A video with 700,000 views—the payout is $48, meaning the cost is ≈ $0.07 per 1,000.

The further a video's views surpass a threshold, the lower your effective cost per 1,000 views becomes.

For both models, you can easily verify the actual cost at the end of a campaign: Total Paid ÷ Approved Views × 1,000.

Our Real-World Data

Actual cost per 1,000 views from completed banner campaigns on Prime Oracles:

A detailed breakdown of these and other campaigns is in our article “What a Million Views Costs”.

These figures are for the banner format, our most affordable option. For a UGC video, where a creator personally presents the product, the cost per 1,000 views is higher, typically ranging from $0.50 to $3. Always compare like-for-like formats.

Why a Cheap Impression Isn't a Cheap Customer

CPM only measures the cost of attention. To understand your customer acquisition cost, you need two more metrics:

• CTR (Click-Through Rate) — The percentage of viewers who clicked your link.
• Conversion Rate — The percentage of those who clicked who then purchased or submitted a lead.

The cost per customer is calculated as follows: CPM ÷ 1,000 ÷ CTR ÷ Conversion Rate.

Hypothetical example: Your CPM is $3, 1% of viewers click the link, and 5% of those who clicked make a purchase: $3 ÷ 1,000 ÷ 0.01 ÷ 0.05 = $6 per customer.

This leads to two conclusions:

• Banners generate reach, not intent. You get the most impressions per dollar, but fewer clicks per impression compared to a personal recommendation. They are excellent for building brand awareness.
• UGC has a higher cost per impression but can result in a lower cost per customer. Because a creator is explaining the product's value, viewers are more inclined to click.

The only way to know for sure is to analyze your own data. Track the entire funnel, not just the cost per impression.

How to Compare Fairly

• One Goal. Compare awareness campaigns by CPM and sales campaigns by cost per customer.
• One Timeframe. Compare campaigns that ran over a similar period.
• Actual Impressions. Use the numbers you actually achieved, not follower counts or promised reach.
• The definition of a 'view' varies by channel. In Telegram, it's opening a post; for a short-form video, it's a video play; in targeted ads, it's an ad impression. The numbers are therefore only roughly comparable—base your final decision on the cost per customer.
• A Unique Link for Each Channel. Use a UTM tag or a unique promo code for every campaign; otherwise, you won't know where your customers came from.

Comparison Template to Copy

Populate this table with data from the last month to see where your budget is going and which channels deliver the most cost-effective customers.

Before launching any campaign, check the advertising regulations in the country where it will be seen. This includes ad labeling rules, requirements for creators, and platform-specific restrictions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CPM in simple terms?
The cost per 1,000 ad impressions. It allows you to compare different channels using a single metric.

How do you calculate the cost of 1,000 impressions?
Divide the cost by the number of impressions and multiply by 1,000. For an influencer post, divide the post's price by its view count, then multiply by 1,000.

Are СРМ and CPM the same thing?
Yes. «СРМ» is simply «CPM» typed using Cyrillic characters.

Which is more cost-effective: promo posts, targeted ads, or influencer integrations?
It depends on your niche and the specific platforms. Calculate your own figures using the formula above and compare the results—ideally by cost per customer, not just cost per impression.

What does 1,000 views cost on Prime Oracles?
It costs whatever you set in your brief. In live pay-per-view campaigns, banners have cost $0.05–$0.30 per 1,000 views, while UGC has cost $0.50–$3. With threshold-based payments, the cost per 1,000 views depends on the video's performance. For a threshold of "from 100,000 views for $21," a video with 100,000 views costs you $0.21 per 1,000, while one with 400,000 views costs just $0.05 per 1,000.

Next Steps

Ready to put this into practice? Launch a brief on Prime Oracles with a small budget and compare the CPM with your other channels. To learn how to write a clear brief for creators, check out the second guide in this series.