Cost per click (CPC)
Cost per click is what you pay Google each time someone clicks your ad.
You're charged per click, never for being shown, so appearing in the results costs nothing on its own.
The price is set by an auction against everyone else bidding on that search, with ad quality factored in.
Prices vary by industry and suburb, and Google's Keyword Planner shows the expected range for a search before you spend anything.
Your maximum bid sets a ceiling, and Google often charges less than it.
The figure that matters more is cost per lead, because a $15 click that converts beats a $4 click that doesn't.
What this means for you
CPC tells you what the auction costs to enter, which makes it a budgeting number. I judge an account on cost per lead, which keeps the budget on the searches people buy from.
This one sits under Google Ads management.
Related terms
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