What counts as a view
A view is not an impression. On YouTube a view counts after 30 seconds of a skippable in-stream ad (or the full ad if shorter) or an interaction, and after 10 seconds for in-feed and Shorts ads, 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.
Common questions
What is a view in CPV?
For skippable in-stream ads, 30 seconds of watch time (or the full ad if shorter) or an interaction; for in-feed and Shorts ads, 10 seconds. It is a higher bar than an impression, so CPV reflects attention rather than mere delivery.
Is CPV the same as CPM?
No. CPM is the cost per thousand impressions (served ads); CPV is the cost per counted video view. Video campaigns can be bought on either, and they answer different questions.