Glossary

CPC (cost per click)

CPC (cost per click) is a pricing model where the advertiser pays for each click on an ad, regardless of what happens afterwards. Most self-serve traffic sources — search, native, push networks — sell traffic on CPC or its auction variants.

How to use it

CPC is one side of the fundamental media buying equation. Buy clicks at $0.05, earn $0.08 per click (EPC) on the offer — the spread is profit. The craft is holding EPC above CPC at scale: raising bids wins more volume but erodes the margin, so buyers bid per placement and cut the ones where the equation flips.

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