CPM is the core metric in Digital-out-of-Home advertising. We explain honestly how it works, why most providers inflate the numbers, and why adyoutiser sells airtime instead of contacts.
30-second takeaway: CPM (Cost per Mille) is the price for 1,000 ad views. Classic Vienna DOOH costs €25-40 CPM. At adyoutiser you book a share of airtime per screen and day instead of a CPM – on 20 screens (16 Vienna · 3 Bratislava · 1 Amstetten), no agency markup. From €2. One day is enough. Austrian advertising tax (5%) is added on top.
What is CPM?
CPM stands for Cost per Mille – the price you pay per 1,000 impressions. An impression isn't a click or a sale – it's simply: a person saw your ad (or had a realistic chance to).
Online, this is easy: pixel fires, impression counts. With Digital-out-of-Home (DOOH) – digital screens in the real world – it's trickier. View counts are usually estimated based on foot traffic data, location analytics, and audience measurement.
The formula:
CPM = (Total Cost / Impressions) × 1,000
Spend €100 to reach 10,000 contacts = €10 CPM. Simple.
Why DOOH CPMs are often inflated
Many classic DOOH vendors use OTS (Opportunity to See) numbers, counting everyone who could theoretically pass the screen – even if they're looking at their phone or driving by at 60 km/h.
| Term | Meaning | Realistic? |
|---|---|---|
| OTS | Everyone passing by | Often inflated |
| Net Reach | Unique viewers with real contact | Realistic |
| Verified Views | Sensor- or camera-measured | Best |
At adyoutiser, plays are measured, contacts are always modelled and marked "~". Where a screen has no solid reach estimate, we show none.
What's a good DOOH CPM?
- Classic DOOH: €25-50 CPM
- Premium screens: €40-80 CPM
- Programmatic DOOH: €15-30 CPM plus tech fees
adyoutiser has no CPM rate: each screen shows its daily price for your airtime share on /screens. Our DOOH calculator shows what your campaign costs.
Beyond CPM
Watch these too:
- Location quality – Is the screen where your audience is?
- Day-part – Rush hour or 3am?
- SOV (Share of Voice) – the share of airtime you book; together with your creative length it decides how often your spot plays
- Creative quality – Best CPM doesn't fix bad ads
Austrian advertising tax
In Austria, 5% advertising tax applies to all outdoor advertising. €1,000 net = €1,050 gross. Slovakia (Bratislava screens) is exempt. We always show this transparently.
Get started
See real CPM costs in the DOOH calculator or book directly. More terms in the DOOH glossary. From €2. One day is enough. 5 minutes upload-to-live, 20 screens.
Christian Starzengruber
Founder, adyoutiser
Ich habe Adyoutiser 2025 in Wien und Bratislava gestartet, weil Bildschirmwerbung keine Agentur brauchen sollte. Wir haben ein Buchungs-Tool gebaut: Bildschirm auf der Karte auswählen, Werbung hochladen, zahlen — live in unter 5 Minuten, ab €2. Wir veröffentlichen unsere Roadmap öffentlich und antworten auf jede E-Mail innerhalb von 24 Stunden.
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