What it means for your advertising
On channels priced per click, such as Google Search, an auction sets your CPC, so it moves with competition for the same searches. Popular services in busy areas cost more per click.
If you pay per impression instead, you can still work out a CPC by dividing spend by clicks, which lets you compare channels on the same terms. A low CPC is only good news if the clicks turn into conversions.
An example
Java Roasters paid £1.40, £1.10 and £1.25 for three clicks one morning: an average CPC of £1.25. Across the campaign, £300 bought 240 clicks, which also works out at £1.25 a click.
Java Roasters is a fictional business, and its figures are illustrative.
How we handle it
We set bids so your campaign competes for the searches most likely to lead to an enquiry, and adjust them as results come in. Your clicks are reported in the Performance Hub in the Guru. More on Google Search advertising.