CPC (Cost Per Click)
CPC, or cost per click, is the amount an advertiser pays each time someone clicks their ad or link, a common pricing model in paid search and display and a key metric for PPC affiliates.
CPC = total spend ÷ total clicks. It ties cost to interest rather than mere exposure: the advertiser only pays when a user actively clicks through.
For PPC affiliates who buy ads and route the traffic to affiliate links, CPC is the cost side of the equation and earnings per click (EPC) is the revenue side — the affiliate profits when EPC exceeds CPC. CPC sits between awareness pricing (CPM) and action pricing (CPA).
See also
- CPM (Cost Per Mille)
CPM, or cost per mille, is the price an advertiser pays per one thousand impressions of an ad or sponsored content, a standard way to price awareness-focused campaigns and influencer posts.
- CPA (Cost Per Action)
CPA, or cost per action (also cost per acquisition), is a pricing model where the advertiser pays only when a specific action — a sale, signup, or lead — is completed, aligning cost directly with results.
- CPL (Cost Per Lead)
CPL, or cost per lead, is a pricing model where the advertiser pays a fixed amount for each qualified lead — such as a form submission, quote request, or signup — generated, common in lead-generation affiliate programs.
- PPC Affiliate
A PPC affiliate promotes a merchant's offers by buying paid search or display ads and routing that traffic to affiliate links, profiting from the gap between ad cost and commissions earned.
- EPC (Earnings Per Click)
EPC, or earnings per click, is the average commission an affiliate earns per click on their tracking links, calculated as total commissions divided by total clicks.
Turn the theory into a live program
Afflio handles tracking, commissions, and payouts so you can run the program these terms describe — start free in an afternoon.
Find brands to promote →