Contents
- CPC is the average cost actually paid for a click, not the bid you set.
- On Google Ads it depends as much on Quality Score as on the bid amount: two advertisers on the same keyword do not pay the same price.
- A falling CPC alongside a rising CPA almost always signals targeting broadening towards less qualified traffic.
Definition
CPC, cost per click, measures what one click on an ad costs on average.
Formula
CPC = total cost divided by number of clicks.
Worked example
A campaign spends €1,800 and gets 1,200 clicks. Average CPC is €1.50. If the site converts at 4%, those 1,200 clicks produce 48 conversions, a CPA of €37.50.
Orders of magnitude
CPC varies by a factor of ten or more between sectors. On generic, low-competition queries, a few tens of cents; on insurance, legal or B2B software, several euros and sometimes more than ten. On LinkedIn Ads, CPC is structurally higher than on Google Ads or Meta, which makes any cross-platform comparison misleading.
The most common mistakes
- Trying to lower CPC for its own sake. CPC is not an objective, it is a consequence. What matters is cost per conversion, and the click-through rate that determines the volume reachable on a given budget.
- Comparing CPC across platforms. A LinkedIn click and a Google click carry neither the same intent nor the same value.
- Confusing average CPC with maximum bid. The bid is a ceiling, average CPC is what was actually paid, often well below it.
Where to find the metric
In Google Ads, the Avg. CPC column, available from account down to keyword. In Meta, two separate columns: CPC (link) and CPC (all), only the first being relevant for traffic. In LinkedIn Ads, the CPC column. In GA4, you have to reconstruct it from imported cost and sessions.
Frequently asked questions
The Adwise team connects Google Ads, Meta Ads, LinkedIn Ads, GA4 and Search Console so agencies and freelancers can run their campaigns from a single place.