What is Revenue Per Click (RPC)?
Revenue Per Click (RPC) measures the average amount of revenue generated each time a user clicks on an ad or link. It combines both conversion rate and average order value to show how effectively clicks translate into sales.
Why Revenue Per Click (RPC) matters?
RPC helps marketers understand the true revenue impact of their paid and organic traffic. Unlike click-through rate (CTR), which measures engagement, RPC reveals how profitable that engagement is. Tracking it enables ecommerce brands to optimize ad spend, bidding strategies, and creative performance for maximum return.
How Revenue Per Click (RPC) works?
RPC is calculated by dividing total revenue generated from a campaign by the total number of clicks it received: RPC = Total Revenue ÷ Total Clicks. It reflects both how well an ad converts and how valuable each transaction is. Brands often monitor RPC alongside Cost Per Click (CPC) to measure return on ad spend (ROAS) and campaign efficiency.
Example in ecommerce
A DTC footwear brand spends on Google Ads for a new sneaker line. The campaign drives 10,000 clicks and $25,000 in revenue, resulting in an RPC of $2.50. By comparing this to their average CPC of $1.20, they confirm the campaign is profitable and increase the budget for top-performing keywords.
Common mix-ups
RPC is sometimes confused with Earnings Per Click (EPC) — a similar metric used in affiliate marketing that measures payout rather than total revenue. It’s also different from Revenue Per Visitor (RPV), which considers all sessions on a site, not just ad clicks.
Best practices
- Track RPC by campaign, channel, and audience segment for granular insights.
- Compare RPC against CPC to quickly gauge profitability (RPC should exceed CPC).
- Test ad copy, landing pages, and offers to lift both conversion rate and AOV.
- Use automated bidding strategies in ad platforms to maximize RPC within budget limits.
- Combine RPC data with LTV analysis to prioritize high-value acquisition sources.
Industry benchmarks
- Typical ecommerce RPC values range from $1–$5 depending on category and product price.
- High-performing DTC brands in premium niches can achieve $10+ RPC on optimized campaigns.
- A profitable campaign usually maintains an RPC at least 1.5–2x higher than CPC.
Related terms
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