The amount paid each time a user clicks an ad. CPC is the native pricing model of paid search and the most common optional model on social platforms. It transfers the risk of an ignored ad to the seller, so sellers price it at a premium over the equivalent CPM. Effective CPC (eCPC) is total spend divided by clicks regardless of how the media was actually bought, and is the figure used when comparing channels.
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Cite this entry:
Agency Echelon. "CPC." Agency Echelon Reference, reviewed September 2026. https://agencyechelon.com/reference/glossary/cpc/