Cost per view (CPV) is the average price paid for one view of a video ad, where a view is counted after a set watch duration or interaction. It is the core efficiency metric for YouTube and other video campaigns.
What counts as a view
A view is not an impression. On YouTube a view typically counts after someone watches 30 seconds (or the full ad if shorter) or engages with it, so CPV reflects genuine attention, not just a served frame. CPV is spend ÷ views.
Reading it well
A low CPV is only good if the views come from the right audience and drive downstream action. Video usually plays an upper-funnel role, so judge it against view-through and later conversion behavior, not CPV alone, the same discipline as reading CPM in context.