What is a good eCPM?
There isn't one universal number. eCPM varies by ad format, geography, vertical, and season, so a good eCPM for a US rewarded-video placement looks very different from a banner placement in a lower-value region. Compare eCPM against your own historical baseline rather than a single external benchmark.
How is eCPM calculated?
eCPM is calculated as (Total Ad Revenue divided by Total Impressions) times 1000. It converts revenue into a consistent per-thousand-impressions figure regardless of whether the underlying pricing model is CPM, CPC, or CPA, which is what makes it comparable across networks and deal types.
Does adding more ad networks always increase eCPM?
Not automatically. More demand sources create more competition for each impression only when they're integrated through proper mediation or in-app bidding. Simply stacking SDKs without coordinating floors and waterfall order can increase latency and fragment fill rather than raising eCPM.
Why did my eCPM drop suddenly?
Sudden drops usually trace to a fill rate change, a demand source pausing campaigns, a seasonal dip outside Q4, or a format or placement change that hurt viewability. Checking each of the five diagnostic points on the home page, in order, isolates the cause faster than adjusting settings at random.
Is header bidding worth setting up for eCPM?
For most publishers with meaningful traffic, yes. Header bidding and in-app bidding let multiple demand sources compete for the same impression in real time, which has reported directional eCPM gains of roughly 10-30% over waterfall-only mediation, though results vary by vertical and traffic volume.
How often should floor prices be reviewed?
Monthly is a reasonable default for most publishers, with additional checks around known demand shifts like Q4. Floors set once and left untouched tend to drift out of step with actual demand as advertiser budgets and seasonality change.
Can ad blockers meaningfully affect eCPM?
Yes. Industry reporting estimated ad blockers suppressed roughly $54 billion in publisher ad revenue in 2024. Serving acceptable-ads-compliant formats and addressing why visitors install blockers in the first place, such as intrusive ad experiences, recovers some of that lost revenue over time.