Cost per lead (CPL) measures how much it costs to generate a single qualified lead. It’s calculated by dividing total campaign spend by the number of leads acquired.
In B2B demand generation, CPL benchmarks vary widely by industry, audience seniority, and lead qualification criteria. A low CPL may signal efficiency, but not necessarily quality, so marketers should balance acquisition cost against conversion potential.
Tracking CPL across sources enables smarter budget allocation, identifying which channels deliver both efficiency and meaningful pipeline contribution.