Lead generation

Cost per lead (CPL)

Ad spend divided by the number of leads it produced.

What it is

CPL is the most common lead generation metric because platforms can report it directly.

Why it matters

For lead generation

It shows how cheaply interest is being bought. On its own it says nothing about whether that interest is worth anything.

How it is measured

FormulaCPL = spend / leads

Divide spend by leads for the same period and campaign; read it next to the share of leads that qualify.

A common mistake

Optimizing CPL down. The cheapest leads are often the least qualified, so cost per customer can rise while CPL falls.

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