You pay when someone does the thing you actually wanted them to do. Not when they see the ad. Not when they click it. When they convert. CPA pricing puts the performance risk on the publisher or network, which is why not everyone offers it. When they do, read the conversion definition carefully. "Action" can mean a lot of things.
Ad tech glossary
CPA (Cost Per Action/Acquisition)
Technical definition
A pricing model where advertisers pay only when a specific action (purchase, sign-up, etc.) is completed.
The ADLINGO translation
Get the full Mega Glossary as a PDF
Nearly 200 ad tech terms, translated. Plus the ADLINGO newsletter to your inbox. Free.
Where this shows up
Could Bill Gates daughter face prison time for cookie stuffing?
Phoebe Gates, daughter of Bill and Melinda Gates, is in the press lately for an alleged "Cookie stuffing" operation. If charged and convicted, penalties could include actual jail time. Do you know how it works?
But the ads served, right?
Brands have a massive gap in understanding what their technology vendors are actually solving on their behalf and what the definition of "paid for" actually means.
News: Brand's $4 Billion Blindspot
Despite the myths, news environments prove to be high-return and brand-safe. With performance upwards of 8.5x higher, avoiding news media might be the most misguided marketing myth yet.