What is a good CPM for Facebook Ads?

A good CPM for Facebook/Meta Ads is roughly $5–$15 for most ecommerce and B2C campaigns. Under $5 is excellent; over $25 for broad audiences usually signals poor relevance or over-targeted audiences.

What is a good CPM for Google Display Ads?

Google Display Network CPMs typically range from $2–$5 for broad audiences. Retargeting audiences and premium placements can push CPMs to $10–20+.

What is a Good CPM? Benchmarks by Ad Channel

Q: Is a lower CPM always better?

No. A very low CPM often means you’re reaching a broad, low-quality audience. What matters is cost-per-result, not cost-per-impression. A $50 CPM that generates $500 in revenue is better than a $3 CPM that generates nothing.

By Jack Kim · Updated June 2026 · Published May 2026 · 6 min read

Straight answer: A good CPM depends on the channel. Google Display averages $2–$5. Facebook/Meta runs $5–$15. LinkedIn is $30–$100+. Lower CPM means cheaper reach, but only if you’re reaching the right people.

CPM benchmarks by channel

Google Display Network (GDN): $2–$5 typical; $10–20+ for retargeting or premium placements
Facebook / Meta (Feed): $5–$15 typical; under $5 is strong; $20+ for narrow audiences
Instagram: $6–$15 typical (slightly higher than Facebook Feed)
LinkedIn Ads: $30–$100+ (high CPM but high-intent B2B audience)
YouTube (pre-roll): $4–$10 for broad audiences; $15–30+ for targeted segments
Twitter / X: $3–$8 typical
TikTok Ads: $8–$15 typical; varies widely by region and creative quality
Programmatic / DSP: $1–$3 for broad open exchange; $10–50+ for premium private marketplace deals

For broader cost context across channels, see our ad cost benchmarks by channel.

What drives CPM up?

Narrow audience targeting, smaller, more specific audiences always cost more per impression
High-value verticals, finance, insurance, legal, and SaaS command premium CPMs
Q4 seasonality, CPMs spike in October–December as advertisers compete for holiday shoppers
Premium placements, top-of-feed, pre-roll, and in-article placements cost more than sidebar or below-fold
Low ad quality / relevance score, on social platforms, poor engagement raises effective CPM

Is a lower CPM always better?

Not automatically. CPM measures the cost to reach 1,000 people, but it says nothing about the quality of those people or whether they’ll take action.

A $3 CPM reaching an unqualified broad audience can waste budget faster than a $50 CPM reaching exactly the right decision-makers
What matters is cost per result, CPA, ROAS, or revenue per 1,000 impressions
Use CPM as a diagnostic, not a goal: if your CPM rises but ROAS holds, the audience is more valuable

CPM to CPC: a quick conversion

You can estimate your effective CPC from CPM and CTR:

Effective CPC = CPM ÷ (CTR% × 10)
Example: $10 CPM with 2% CTR = $10 ÷ 20 = $0.50 CPC

This helps you compare display and social campaigns (which use CPM) with search campaigns (which use CPC) on a consistent basis.

Common mistakes

Optimising for lowest CPM. Broad audiences produce cheap impressions but low-quality traffic. Focus on CPA or ROAS instead.
Comparing CPM across channels. LinkedIn’s $50+ CPM is not overpriced compared to GDN’s $3 CPM, the audiences are incomparable.
Ignoring frequency. A low CPM combined with high frequency is a sign your audience is exhausted. Cap frequency and refresh creative regularly.

FAQ

Why is my Facebook CPM so high?
Common causes: audience is too small or over-targeted, your ad relevance score is low, it’s a competitive time of year (Q4), or your creative isn’t generating engagement. Try broadening the audience or refreshing the creative.

What is a good CPM for ecommerce?
For Facebook/Meta ecommerce campaigns, $6–$12 CPM is typical. Under $8 with strong conversion rates is generally profitable for most product margins.

How do I calculate CPM?
CPM = (spend ÷ impressions) × 1,000. See what is CPM for the full formula and worked examples.