Lowering your cost-per-click (CPC) while maintaining or even improving your conversion rate in Google Ads is a common goal. Here's a breakdown of strategies to achieve this, drawing from available information about Google Ads features and best practices from official Google documentation.
Understanding CPC and Conversion Rate
Average CPC represents the average amount you're charged each time someone clicks on your ad. Conversion rate is the percentage of people who click your ad and then complete a desired action, such as a purchase, sign-up, or form submission. The aim is to pay less for each click (lower CPC) while still getting a high percentage of those clicks to turn into conversions (high conversion rate).
Bidding Strategies
Google Ads offers several automated bidding strategies designed to optimize for conversions while managing your budget.
Target CPA (Cost Per Acquisition)
This strategy automatically sets bids to help you get as many conversions as possible at the target cost per acquisition (CPA) you set. You define how much you're willing to pay for a conversion, and Google Ads will attempt to achieve that CPA.
Troubleshooting Low Traffic/Conversion Rate with Target CPA
If you're experiencing low traffic or conversion rates while using Target CPA, it could be due to overly restrictive settings. Google Ads needs sufficient data to learn and optimize. Consider the following:
- Increase your target CPA: A very low target CPA may limit your ad's reach.
- Check your conversion tracking: Ensure your conversion tracking is set up correctly and accurately recording conversions.
- Review your ad quality and landing page experience: Low-quality ads or poor landing page experiences can deter conversions.
Manual CPC Bidding
- Maximum CPC Bid: This lets you set a limit on how much you will pay for each click.
- Understanding the limits and actual costs of Maximum CPC Bidding is important.
- Although a maximum is set, the final CPC could be lower.
Quality Score Optimization
A high Quality Score can lead to lower CPCs and better ad positions. Quality Score is based on:
- Expected CTR (Click-Through Rate): How likely people are to click your ad.
- Ad Relevance: How closely your ad matches the user's search query.
- Landing Page Experience: How relevant and useful your landing page is to people who click your ad.
Improving Quality Score
- Keyword Research: Ensure you're targeting relevant keywords with sufficient search volume.
- Ad Copy Optimization: Write compelling ad copy that clearly communicates your offering and includes relevant keywords. Use A/B testing to find the most effective ad variations.
- Landing Page Optimization: Make sure your landing page is relevant to your ad and keywords. It should load quickly, be easy to navigate, and provide a clear call to action.
Conversion Value and ROI
Conversion Value Per Cost (CVPC): This is a metric for calculating ROI in Google Ads. By focusing on maximizing conversion value, you ensure that each conversion is contributing significantly to your bottom line. This goes hand in hand with CPA - if each conversion is worth more you can afford a higher CPA, however the focus should be on a high conversion value at the lowest possible cost.
Other Things to Consider
- Ad Scheduling: Analyze when your ads perform best and adjust your ad schedule to focus on those times.
- Device Optimization: Identify which devices (desktop, mobile, tablet) drive the most conversions at the lowest CPC and adjust your bids accordingly.
- Location Targeting: Refine your location targeting to focus on areas where your products or services are most popular.
- Remarketing: Target users who have previously interacted with your website or ads. They are more likely to convert, potentially at a lower CPC.
By strategically implementing these tactics, you can work towards lowering your CPC while maintaining or improving your conversion rate, ultimately maximizing your ROI in Google Ads.
