Episode Details
Back to Episodes
Why Your CPM Is Rising Without More Conversions
Season 1
Episode 9
Published 1 month, 2 weeks ago
Description
Lucas and Luna dig into the CPM creep that's silently eating performance marketing budgets in mid-2026. They break down why auction dynamics—not algorithm changes—are driving up costs, using the case of a DTC brand that saw CPMs jump 40% while conversion rates stayed flat. Lucas explains how platform consolidation and the rise of AI-generated content are inflating impression supply, and shares a concrete fix: shifting from audience-based bidding to value-based bidding with first-party data. Luna pushes back on attribution models and asks whether the real leak is in how brands define a quality impression. By the end, you'll understand why your cost per thousand is climbing even when your ROAS looks fine, and what to do about it.