What Is RPM?
RPM (revenue per mille, or revenue per thousand) measures total earnings per thousand page views, sessions, or video plays — not per individual ad impression. It's the metric publishers and creators use to understand overall site or channel monetization, since it captures every revenue source across a page or video, not just a single ad unit.
A page can carry several ad impressions per pageview, or earn from non-ad sources like affiliate links — RPM rolls all of that into one revenue-per-thousand-visits figure.
RPM Formula
Divide total revenue by total units (page views or plays), then multiply by 1,000.
RPM = (Total Revenue ÷ Total Units) × 1,000
Worked Example
A blog earns $360 in total revenue from 60,000 page views in a month.
RPM = ($360 ÷ 60,000) × 1,000 = $6.00
Rearranged, the formula solves for revenue or units instead, which is what the other two modes above do:
Total Revenue = (RPM × Total Units) ÷ 1,000
Total Units = (Total Revenue ÷ RPM) × 1,000
Measuring revenue per individual ad impression instead of per pageview or play? Use the eCPM calculator instead.
What Affects RPM?
- Ad density — more ad units per page raises RPM up to the point where user experience and repeat visits start to suffer.
- Audience geography — traffic from higher-CPM regions lifts RPM even at the same pageview count.
- Content niche — finance, insurance, and B2B topics typically command higher advertiser demand than general entertainment content.
- Monetization mix — combining display ads with affiliate revenue, sponsorships, or memberships raises total revenue per visit.
- Seasonality — RPM tends to rise during high-advertiser-demand periods like Q4 and fall during off-peak months.
RPM Calculator FAQ
How is RPM calculated?
RPM is calculated by dividing total revenue by the total number of units (page views, sessions, or video plays), then multiplying by 1,000: RPM = (Total Revenue ÷ Total Units) × 1,000. Enter your revenue and unit count above to calculate it instantly.
What's the difference between RPM and eCPM?
Both use the same (Revenue ÷ Units) × 1,000 formula. RPM (revenue per mille) is usually measured against page views or sessions — total site traffic, including pages with no ads or multiple ad units. eCPM is usually measured per individual ad impression. A page with three ad units and one pageview generates three impressions but only one "unit" for RPM.
Is RPM the same as YouTube RPM?
YouTube RPM uses this exact formula, but divides total revenue (including ads, channel memberships, and Super Thanks) by total views, giving creators a single real-earnings-per-thousand-views figure — distinct from YouTube's playback-based CPM, which only reflects ad revenue against monetized playbacks.
How do you improve RPM?
Increase ad density or add complementary monetization (affiliate, sponsorships, memberships) without hurting user experience, improve audience value through better targeting, and test ad placement and formats to find the combination that earns more per thousand visits without raising bounce rate.