Meta Cost per Video View measures your average spend for each 3-second video view on your Meta ads.
Meta Cost per Video View = Meta Spend ÷ Meta Video Views
| Metric | Definition |
|---|
| Meta Spend | Total amount billed by Meta for your advertising |
| Meta Video Views | Number of times your video was watched for at least 3 seconds |
| Metadata | |
|---|
| Type | Currency |
| Data Source | Meta Ads |
| Aggregation | Ratio (Spend ÷ Video Views) |
Example
Your skincare brand spent $2,400 on video awareness campaigns in March and generated 800,000 video views across placements.
| Placement | Spend | Video Views | Cost/View |
|---|
| Instagram Reels | $1,200 | 480,000 | $0.0025 |
| Facebook Feed | $800 | 240,000 | $0.0033 |
| Stories | $400 | 80,000 | $0.0050 |
How It Works
Meta counts a video view when someone watches your ad for at least 3 continuous seconds. Cost per Video View divides your spend by these qualified views, filtering out accidental scrolls and immediate skips. This metric is your primary efficiency measure when optimizing for top-of-funnel video reach and brand awareness.
When to Use
| Scenario | Action |
|---|
| Evaluating video awareness campaigns | Compare cost per view across ad sets to find efficient audiences |
| Cost per view rising | Refresh creative or expand targeting to combat ad fatigue |
| Comparing to Thruplay cost | Higher Thruplay cost vs. view cost indicates drop-off after 3 seconds |
| Planning brand awareness budgets | Use cost per view to forecast reach at different spend levels |
| Metric | Relationship |
|---|
| Meta Video Views | The view count used in the Cost per Video View formula |
| Meta Cost per Thruplay | Cost for deeper engagement—15+ seconds or completion |
| Meta Spend | The total ad spend used in the formula |
