Revenue per click (RPC)
In short
Revenue per click (RPC) is the average revenue earned for each click on an ad or link. You calculate it by dividing the revenue attributed to a campaign by the number of clicks it received.
RPC helps you compare campaigns on value rather than traffic. Two keywords may cost the same per click, but if one earns far more revenue per click, it deserves more budget.
How to calculate RPC
The formula is RPC = attributed revenue / number of clicks.
Say a campaign gets 500 clicks and produces 5,000 in closed revenue. RPC is 10 per click. If the average cost per click is 4, each click earns more than it costs. These figures are illustrative.
RPC and related metrics
- Cost per click (CPC): What you pay for a click. Compare RPC with CPC to see margin per click.
- Return on ad spend: Revenue divided by ad spend, a ratio view of the same idea.
- Conversion rate: The share of clicks that convert, one driver of RPC.
- Average deal value: The other driver: higher-value deals raise RPC.
The B2B challenge
In B2B, revenue often arrives months after the click, so RPC is delayed and depends on attribution. A fair view uses pipeline or closed revenue tied back to the click through the CRM, and waits for a full sales cycle before judging.
Early on, teams sometimes use expected value per lead, such as lead-to-close rate times average deal size, as a stand-in until real revenue is known.
How to use RPC
- Set bids: Cap what you pay per click below the revenue each click returns.
- Rank keywords: Move budget from low RPC to high RPC terms.
- Compare channels: See which source returns the most value per visit.
Common mistakes
- Judging too soon: Long cycles mean early RPC is understated.
- Weak attribution: Missing CRM links make revenue per click unreliable.
- Ignoring small samples: A few clicks can create a misleading average.
- Ignoring margin: Revenue is not profit; consider cost to serve.
Using RPC with sample sizes in mind
RPC is only as reliable as the data behind it. A keyword with a handful of clicks and one big deal can look far better than it is. Set a minimum click count before you act on the number.
Group similar keywords or campaigns to build larger samples, and review RPC over a rolling window that covers your typical sales cycle. When revenue data is thin, track a leading proxy, such as qualified lead rate per click, alongside it.
Revenue per click FAQs
What is revenue per click (RPC)?
Revenue per click is the average revenue generated by each click on an ad or link. It is calculated by dividing the revenue attributed to a campaign by its number of clicks, and shows how valuable each visit is.
How do you calculate revenue per click?
Divide total attributed revenue by the total number of clicks. For example, 5,000 in revenue from 500 clicks gives an RPC of 10. Compare that with cost per click to see whether each click returns more than it costs.
What is the difference between revenue per click and cost per click?
Cost per click is what you pay for each click, while revenue per click is what each click earns. Comparing the two shows the margin per click and helps decide how much to bid for a keyword or audience.
Why is revenue per click hard to measure in B2B?
B2B sales cycles are long and involve several people, so revenue often arrives months after the click. Measuring RPC requires CRM attribution that links clicks to closed deals and enough time to let cycles complete.
