Contents
- Cost per result follows the campaign objective: it measures a purchase here, a message there, a view somewhere else.
- It therefore cannot be compared across campaigns with different objectives, even inside the same account.
- It is Meta's equivalent of CPA, with a shifting definition instead of a fixed action.
Definition
Cost per result divides spend by the number of results obtained, the result being defined by the objective chosen when the campaign was created.
Formula
Cost per result = amount spent divided by number of results.
Worked example
Two campaigns both show a cost per result of €12. The first optimises for purchases, the second for landing page views. The first is excellent, the second disastrous: it pays €12 for a visit that may never convert.
Orders of magnitude
No benchmark is possible: cost per result only means something against the value of the result concerned.
The most common mistakes
- Comparing cost per result across campaigns with different objectives. It is the most common mistake on Meta, and it leads to cutting the good campaigns.
- Forgetting to check what "result" counts. The column does not say, you have to look at the campaign objective.
- Reading it without volume. A perfect cost per result on three monthly results proves nothing.
Where to find the metric
In Meta, the Cost per result column, with the result type stated just above it. On Google Ads and LinkedIn Ads, the equivalent is called cost per conversion or cost per result depending on the format.
Frequently asked questions
The Adwise team connects Google Ads, Meta Ads, LinkedIn Ads, GA4 and Search Console so agencies and freelancers can run their campaigns from a single place.