What is CPA, and how to calculate it?

Discover what CPA is and how to calculate this fundamental metric in your marketing strategy. Learn to improve efficiency, optimisation, and success with cost per acquisition.

Salesforce Staff

November 5, 2024 13 min read

Discover what CPA is and how to calculate this fundamental metric in your marketing strategy. Learn to improve efficiency, optimisation, and success with cost per acquisition.

In the world of marketing, the effectiveness of strategy is determined by data and detailed analysis. Understanding specific metrics is essential for company success.

Among these metrics, CPA or Cost Per Acquisition emerges as a fundamental piece in the strategy of an effective marketing plan.

Modern marketing requires more than intuition; it demands a deep understanding of the metrics driving advertising campaign performance.

CPA transcends the status of an isolated metric. It is a strategic indicator that assesses marketing efficiency and guides intelligent resource allocation.

To succeed in your digital venture, you must familiarise yourself with these metrics. We have created this content to provide an in-depth understanding of what CPA is while offering insights on how to apply it strategically.

Continue reading and gain valuable insights that can significantly boost the performance of your digital marketing and sales campaigns:

What is CPA?
How does CPA work?
What is CPA in Digital Marketing?
What is CPA in sales?
How to calculate CPA?
CPA FAQs

What is Cost Per Acquisition (CPA)?

CPA, or Cost Per Acquisition, plays a vital role in the marketing landscape, as it is a metric that goes beyond simple cost analysis. It represents the average amount spent to acquire a new customer, providing deep insights into the effectiveness of a company’s customer acquisition strategies.

At its core, CPA reveals the price associated with each successful conversion, whether it’s a sale, a sign-up for a service, or any other predetermined action that represents a valuable acquisition for the business.

When a business launches an advertising campaign, the goal is often to convert leads into customers. CPA is a crucial metric that allows you to calculate the average cost incurred to convert a prospect into a paying customer. This metric is not limited to just the monetary value associated with the transaction. It encompasses all expenses related to running the campaign, from advertising spend to operational costs.

In practical terms, if a marketing campaign involves a total investment of $5,000 and results in 100 new customers acquired, the CPA would be calculated by dividing the total cost ($5,000) by the number of acquisitions (100), resulting in a CPA of $50 per customer.

This metric becomes a valuable guide for marketers, allowing them to evaluate the acquisition cost and compare the performance of different campaigns and channels.

Thus, CPA goes beyond being just a number in a formula; it is the compass that guides companies in their search for efficiency, providing critical insights into the investment needed to ensure the expansion of the customer base.

By understanding CPA, businesses can make more informed decisions, adjust strategies, and optimise the return on investment of their marketing initiatives.

Once we understand what it is, we need to understand how this metric works.

How does CPA work?

The way Cost Per Acquisition works is highly revealing for marketing professionals looking for efficiency and return on investment. This metric often costs more than others because it directly measures conversions.

Thus, the amount can reach up to 50% of the sale amount. However, payment is only made if this action makes a profit.

Next, we will break down the main aspects of how CPA operates and its importance in customer acquisition strategies, presenting why it is important to calculate CPA.

Identifying conversion goals

The process begins with clearly identifying conversion goals. This can range from selling products or services to obtaining qualified leads, newsletter signups or any specific action representing a valuable business acquisition.

Tracking implementation

It’s crucial to have robust tracking systems to monitor every user interaction, from clicking on an ad to completing the desired action. Tools like CRM Analytics, tracking pixels, and tags are often used for this purpose.

CPA Calculation

CPA is calculated by dividing the total cost of a campaign by the number of acquisitions made. The basic formula is:

CPA = Total Campaign Cost / Number of Acquisitions

This calculation provides the average cost associated with each successful conversion.

Analysis and comparison

Once the CPA value is obtained, marketers can analyse and compare different campaigns, channels, or time periods. This allows for the identification of more effective strategies and the efficient allocation of resources.

Continuous optimisation

Based on the analysis, campaigns can be adjusted to optimise performance. This may involve reallocating budgets, refining audience targeting, or tweaking creative elements.

Return on Investment (ROI) Assessment

In addition to providing insights into acquisition costs, CPA is crucial for assessing return on investment. By comparing CPA to a customer’s average value, a company can determine how effective the campaign is in terms of financial performance.

Feedback for future strategies

The information generated by CPA serves as valuable feedback for future strategies. Understanding past performance helps in making informed decisions to optimise future approaches.

In short, Cost Per Acquisition not only calculates the average acquisition cost but serves as a dynamic tool to guide sales strategies, adjust approaches, and ensure that each marketing investment is effectively targeted toward acquiring valuable customers.

Companies can continually improve their strategies by understanding how CPA operates, adapting to market dynamics and maximising return on investment.

What is CPA in Digital Marketing?

In Digital Marketing, CPA is a critical metric that reflects the average amount spent to acquire a customer through online channels. This metric goes beyond simple advertising costs, encompassing all expenses associated with converting leads into customers, whether through sales, signups, downloads, or other desired actions.

Importance of CPA in Digital Marketing

1. Investment efficiency

Understanding CPA is essential to assessing the efficiency of investments in digital marketing campaigns. By calculating the average cost of acquisition, marketers can identify which channels and strategies offer the best return on investment.

2. Decision making

CPA knowledge empowers professionals to make more informed decisions. By analysing the performance of different campaigns, they can direct resources to those that generate the most positive results, thus maximising the impact of digital strategies.

3. Real-time adjustments

In the dynamic digital marketing environment, the ability to make real-time adjustments is crucial. With Cost Per Acquisition, marketers can quickly identify underperforming campaigns or channels and adjust to optimise results.

4. Audience segmentation

CPA also plays a key role in audience segmentation. By understanding how much it costs to acquire customers from different segments, marketers can adjust their strategies to target those most likely to convert at a more cost-effective rate.

5. Evaluating campaign performance

CPA provides a tangible metric to evaluate the performance of specific campaigns. It goes beyond vanity metrics like impressions or clicks, allowing for a deeper analysis of the real impact of digital marketing strategies.

6. Alignment with business objectives

Cost per Acquisition allows companies to align their digital marketing strategies with business objectives. If the focus is on maximising sales, CPA becomes a direct measure of the effectiveness of converting digital efforts into paying customers.

In short, understanding what CPA is in digital marketing is essential because this metric quantifies the acquisition cost, guides companies in optimising resources, maximises return on investment, and makes informed decisions in the dynamic online ecosystem.

What is CPA in sales?

Cost per Acquisition in sales is a key metric that goes beyond direct acquisition costs, providing insight into the performance of sales strategies. By understanding and optimising CPA, companies can effectively drive sales and achieve a sustainable balance between costs and financial results.

Main aspects of CPA in sales

1. Customer acquisition cost

CPA in sales measures the average cost to acquire a new customer. It considers more than just direct advertising costs but also other costs associated with the sales process, such as sales commissions, marketing expenses, and operating costs.

2. Resource optimisation

Understanding CPA in sales allows you to optimise resource allocation. Companies can focus their investments on channels and strategies that result in lower CPAs, ensuring efficient use of available resources.

3. Customer segmentation

Just like in marketing, CPA can also be used for customer segmentation in the sales sector. This way, companies can adjust their sales and marketing approaches to maximise efficiency for each group.

4. Sales cycle assessment

CPA in sales provides insights into the sales cycle. If the cost of acquisition is high, it may indicate that the sales process needs to be optimised to speed up the conversion of leads into customers and reduce associated costs.

5. Strategic decision making

By monitoring CPA in sales, managers can make informed strategic decisions. This includes adjusting pricing strategies, reviewing sales approaches, and adapting resource allocation to maximise results.

How to calculate CPA?

Calculating CPA involves a thorough analysis of the costs associated with acquiring customers in a specific campaign. Let’s explore the detailed steps for this calculation:

1. Define conversion goals

Before you start calculating CPA, it’s crucial to have a clear understanding of your campaign’s conversion goals. These goals could include sales, signups, downloads, or any other action that represents a valuable acquisition for your business.

2. Identify all associated costs

List all costs directly related to the campaign. This may include:

Advertising costs: Spending on advertising platforms such as Google Ads, Facebook Ads, etc.
Operational costs: Expenses related to executing the campaign, such as content creation, graphic design, and landing page development, among others.
Personnel costs: If there is a dedicated campaign staff, include any associated salaries or fees.
Other costs: Any additional expenses specific to the campaign.

3. Consider the time

If your campaign spans a period of time, divide your monthly or weekly costs by the corresponding number of periods to get a more granular view.

4. Conversion Tracking

Tracking tools, such as pixels, tags, or conversion codes, can be used to monitor the number of conversions during the campaign. This can be done through analytics platforms such as Google Analytics.

5. Calculate the number of acquisitions

Determine the total number of acquisitions generated by the campaign. This represents successful conversions, such as new customers, signups, or sales, depending on the goals you set.

6. Use the basic CPA formula

The CPA formula is:

CPA = Total Campaign Cost / Number of Acquisitions

Substitute the corresponding values into the formula.

7. Analysis of the result

When calculating your CPA value, consider it in light of your objectives and market context. A lower CPA is generally desirable, indicating a more efficient acquisition.

Let’s look at a practical example of how to calculate CPA.

Cost Per Acquisition calculation example

Suppose a fictitious company launched an online advertising campaign to boost sales of its new product line. With a comprehensive strategy involving advertising on platforms such as Google Ads and Facebook Ads, the company invested significantly to create an impact in the market.

Let’s explore the CPA calculation for this campaign, a key metric that reveals the average cost associated with each customer acquired during the campaign period.

Considering all the costs involved, from creating advertising content to operating expenses and personnel costs, the Total Campaign Cost reached $18,000. At the same time, the marketing team carefully tracked conversions, counting 150 new sales.

By applying the CPA formula and dividing the Total Cost by the Number of Acquisitions, we arrive at a CPA of $32. This number represents the amount invested in each acquired customer and also triggers deeper analyses of the effectiveness of investments and the need for future optimisations.

Let’s deepen our understanding of this CPA’s meaning and implications in the context of the company’s marketing strategy.

Calculation:

1. Associated costs:

Advertising costs (Google Ads, Facebook Ads): $8,000
Operational costs (banner creation, landing page development): $5,000
Personnel costs (marketing team involved in the campaign): $3,000
Other costs (shipping, packaging): $2,000
Total campaign cost: 8 + 5 + 3 + 2 = 18

2. Conversion tracking:

During the two-week campaign, the company tracked 150 direct sales generated by the ads.

Number of acquisitions: 150

3. CPA Calculation:

CPA = $18,000 / 150 = $120

4. Analysis of the result:

The calculated CPA is $120 per acquisition. This means that, on average, the company spent $120 to acquire each customer who made a purchase during the campaign.

As noted after this journey of knowledge about Cost-per-acquisition, more than simply creating campaigns and ads is required. The key is examining the results and determining whether they align with the investment. Hence, pricing metrics such as CPA are important for any business.

It’s imperative to carefully consider all elements before determining the most appropriate metric for your company’s paid advertising. It’s highly recommended to take advantage of initial testing with smaller budgets before embarking on larger-scale campaigns.

Keep data as your constant ally. It will provide insights into your target audience and the effectiveness of your ads while also serving as a valuable tool to guide future campaigns, making them increasingly efficient and with superior results.

Now that you are familiar with and fully understand CPA, how to calculate it, and its applications, it is the ideal time to implement this knowledge in your company’s marketing campaigns. To do this, check out our State of Marketing report to adapt your business to new market trends, download the Customer Journey Guide, and read our E-Book focused on lead optimisation to boost your sales.

CPA FAQs

What expenses can be included in the acquisition cost?

The acquisition cost encompasses various expenses related to obtaining new customers, such as online advertising, marketing, sales team salaries, technology investments, event participation, customer support, SEO, SEM, production of sales materials, partnerships, affiliates and data analysis.

A comprehensive approach to this spending is essential to assess the investment required in customer acquisition accurately.

What is the difference between Cost per Lead (CPL) and Cost per Acquisition (CPA)?

Cost per Lead (CPL) and Cost per Acquisition (CPA) are digital marketing metrics evaluating different conversion funnel stages. CPL measures the cost of generating a qualified lead, that is, a potential customer who has expressed interest in a product or service.

On the other hand, CPA encompasses the total costs related to the effective acquisition of a customer, including expenses from lead generation to transaction completion.

While CPL focuses on the initial phase of the process, CPA provides a more comprehensive view of the investments needed to convert leads into effective customers, considering the entire sales cycle.

How important is audience segmentation when implementing CPA?

By targeting specific efforts to relevant demographic, behavioural, or geographic groups, audience segmentation allows for more efficient resource allocation, optimising CPA.

This personalised approach enables more targeted campaigns that are adapted to the specific needs and preferences of each segment, increasing the likelihood of conversion.

Segmentation also facilitates data analysis, allowing strategic adjustments based on the performance of different segments, contributing to a more precise and profitable approach in the search for customers.

What are the differences between CPA and other pricing models like CPC (Cost Per Click) and CPM (Cost Per Thousand Impressions)?

The differences between Cost-per-Acquisition (CPA), Cost-per-Click (CPC), and Cost-per-Thousand Impressions (CPM) lie in their approaches and billing methods for online advertising campaigns. CPA measures the cost associated with acquiring a customer. It charges only when a specific action is completed, such as a sale or lead generation.

On the other hand, CPC charges for each click on the ad, regardless of conversion, and is more suitable for traffic and visibility campaigns. CPM, on the other hand, charges for a thousand impressions of the ad and is a choice more focused on increasing brand visibility.

While CPA focuses on concrete results, CPC highlights user interaction, and CPM aims to maximise exposure, each model serves different objectives in digital marketing strategies.

What are the most relevant key performance indicators (KPIs) when evaluating the success of a CPA campaign?

When analysing the success of a CPA campaign, it is essential to consider key performance indicators (KPIs) such as Conversion Rate, which demonstrates the efficiency in converting visitors into customers.

The Average Value per Transaction is crucial to understanding the financial return obtained by each conversion, while the assessment of Lead Quality ensures the relevance and suitability of the leads generated.

Additionally, Customer Lifetime Value (LTV) provides a comprehensive view, assessing the total value a customer can generate over time. Integrating these KPIs into campaign analytics provides a deeper understanding of performance, combining immediate effectiveness with long-term considerations.

Did you enjoy learning more about cost per acquisition?

Our blog and Resource Centre are always up to date with news and content about CRM, customer service, and sales. Below are other resources that you may find useful:

Take the opportunity to check out all the features of Energy and Utilities Cloud and understand how our CRM transforms the future of energy.