What is cost per completed view (CPCV)?

Cost per completed view (CPCV) is a digital advertising metric that measures how much an advertiser pays each time a viewer watches a video ad all the way to the end. This means the full ad plays through to completion without being skipped. CPCV helps marketers assess both the cost efficiency and engagement quality of their video campaigns by tying spend directly to fully consumed views.

In video-centric marketing, attention is the currency. Unlike impressions or click-through rates (CTR), CPCV focuses on full audience engagement. A view that is completed suggests the audience found the content relevant, compelling, or at least worth watching through, which is valuable for brand recall, message delivery, and downstream conversion outcomes.

Digital marketers use CPCV to:

• Evaluate how effectively video ads resonate with target audiences
• Compare cost efficiency across placements, formats, and publishers
• Optimize campaigns toward quality engagement rather than just reach

Because many platforms now allow viewers to skip ads, CPCV has become especially significant because you only pay for attention that was actually given.

At its simplest, CPCV is a pricing structure and a performance metric

CPCV as a pricing model

Some ad networks charge advertisers based on completed views rather than impressions or clicks. Under this model, you’re billed only when a viewer watches the entire video ad. For advertisers, this can mean better control over how budget is spent, with full engagement privileged over partial exposure.

CPCV as a performance metric

Even when using different billing models (like CPM or CPV), marketers track CPCV to gauge engagement efficiency. It’s calculated as: 

CPCV = total spend ÷ number of completed views

Understanding CPCV in relation to other digital advertising metrics clarifies its strategic purpose.

• CPCV vs. CPM (cost per thousand impressions)
  While CPM measures cost per 1,000 ad impressions, CPCV zeroes in on completed video engagement. CPM can be high even with low attention. CPCV by definition requires full attention.
• CPCV vs CPV (cost per view)
  CPV counts any view that meets a platform’s minimum threshold (e.g., 2‑seconds). CPCV is stricter. Only completed, 100% watched views count, making it a more granular measure of engagement.
• CPCV vs CPA (cost per action)
  CPCV evaluates engagement; CPA evaluates downstream behavior like installs or conversions. CPCV doesn’t guarantee action, but it can be an upstream signal of interest that leads toward conversions.

When marketers analyze CPCV data across creatives, audiences, and placements, they look at everything from cost efficiency to behavioral signals.

A consistently lower CPCV can indicate that a video creative is genuinely resonating with viewers because it indicates voluntary attention. It may be stronger in narrative, more compelling in the first few seconds, or better aligned with the audience’s expectations. These insights inform creative optimization at a granular level, from testing new openings to refining messaging mid-campaign.

CPCV also plays a role in audience strategy. Marketers often identify pockets of users more likely to complete videos and use that data to refine targeting. By allocating budget toward higher-performing segments and suppressing underperformers, they can stretch media spend while increasing engagement density.

CPCV sits comfortably in the upper and mid-funnel, where attention and engagement are the primary goals. While it doesn’t measure conversions directly, it signals how well your creative holds attention, which is an early indicator of message resonance.

For awareness-driven campaigns, a strong CPCV performance suggests your content isn’t just being served but actually being absorbed. In mid-funnel efforts, completed views help build qualified retargeting pools. Viewers who watch an entire ad are more likely to remember your brand or engage with a follow-up performance asset. And while CPCV doesn’t replace CPA or ROAS, it complements them, especially in full-funnel strategies where branding and performance go hand in hand.

CPCV provides essential clarity for marketers navigating digital video. But a single metric can’t capture the full story. Connecting completed views to downstream outcomes like app installs, in-app purchases (IAP), or lifetime value (LTV) requires advanced attribution and holistic, multi-platform measurement.

That’s where Adjust comes in. Our measurement and analytics suite gives you the tools to understand not just who watched your ads, but what they did next. Whether you’re running CTV campaigns, in-app video ads, or full-funnel user acquisition (UA), Adjust enables you to identify the channels and campaigns driving outcomes.

Get started for free or request a demo today to see how Adjust can help you turn CPCV insights into performance results and grow your app business.