Average CPC

Average CPC tells you what clicks cost, which you need to plan budgets and estimate how many clicks a budget buys.

On its own it says little about value. A €4 click that converts one time in ten can be cheaper per customer than a €0.40 click that never does.

1. Open Campaigns, Ad groups or Keywords and add the Avg. CPC column.
2. Compare it with the bid or the target, which is the most you were willing to pay.
3. Segment by device, network or match type to see where clicks cost more.
4. Use Auction insights to see whether competition explains a rise.

A campaign spends €900 for 300 clicks: average CPC is €3. A week later competition rises and the same budget buys 250 clicks at €3.60. The cost per conversion is what tells whether to react.

• Optimising for the lowest CPC, which often buys the least valuable clicks.
• Comparing CPC across industries or countries as if it were a benchmark.
• Confusing average CPC with the maximum bid.

The audit checks Oppy runs on this, each with its own page.

• One match type is paying more for the same intent
• The same keyword bought at two very different prices

• Cost per click (CPC): What you pay when someone clicks an ad.
• Bid: The most you are willing to pay for a click, or the target a Smart Bidding strategy aims at.
• Quality Score: Google's 1 to 10 rating of a keyword, built from expected click-through rate, ad relevance and landing page experience.