Enter the total number of impressions received and the total cost into the calculator to determine the cost per impression.

Cost Per Impression Formula

The following equation is used to calculate the Cost Per Impression.

CPI = TC / I
  • Where CPI is the cost per impression ($/impression)
  • TC is the total cost ($)
  • #I is the number of impressions received

To calculate the cost per impression, divide the cost by the number of impressions received.

The industry standard for cost per impression is typically expressed on a per 1000 impressions basis. This formula and calculate do not. To explore that further, visit the cost per mille calculator linked above.

What is a Cost Per Impression?

Definition:

A cost per impression is a metric used to describe the cost to receive one impression. This is most often used in relation to marketing and the “impression” of an advertisement. Impressions are defined as when a person sees an advertisement for at least 1 second.

How to Calculate Cost Per Impression?

Example Problem:

The following example outlines the steps and information needed to calculate Cost Per Impression.

First, determine the total cost of the advertising campaign. In this example, the total cost is $1500.00.

Next, determine the number of impressions received. For this problem, the number of impressions receive was 3000.

Finally, calculate the cost per impression using the formula above:

CPI = TC / #I

CPI = $1500/ 3000

CPI = $0.50/ impression