Cost per lead (CPL)
Cost per lead (CPL)
Cost per lead is included acquisition spend divided by the number of leads counted. Its usefulness depends on a clear, consistent definition of a lead.
How it works.
A hypothetical spend of 1,000 producing 20 enquiries gives a cost per enquiry of 50 in the same currency. If only 5 meet the qualification criteria, the cost per qualified lead is 200. The arithmetic is illustrative, not a benchmark.
What to watch for.
Do not compare one channel’s form submissions with another channel’s qualified conversations under the same CPL label. Align the period, included costs and counting rules first. A zero lead count makes the cost unavailable, not zero.
Put the definition to work.
Use CPL to understand acquisition efficiency at a defined stage. Pair it with quality and progression measures before deciding which campaign is commercially stronger.