Understanding CPM: More Than Just a Number CPM—short for Cost Per Mille—is the backbone of how publishers earn from display advertising. It represents how much advertisers pay for every 1,000 ad impressions. Sounds simple? Not quite. Behind that number lies a web of variables: content quality, audience behavior, ad viewability, traffic source, page speed, and yes—how well your ad tech stack is configured. The good news? Every one of those variables can be optimized. The Most Influential CPM Factors Let’s break down what really drives CPMs up or down. These are the levers publishers can pull to shift revenue in their favor. 1. Audience Value Advertisers bid more when your audience aligns with their goals. If your readers are in high-value markets (e.g., finance, health, tech), or are known purchasers, your inventory becomes more attractive. Use first-party data to define and segment your audience. Ad servers allow you to build custom audience groups and target them with high...
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