FormulaCPC = ad spend / clicks

Cost per click (CPC) is the average price of one click on an ad. On Google Search, advertisers usually bid per click, which is why the model is also called pay per click (PPC). On Meta and TikTok you usually pay for impressions, and CPC is worked out from the results.

CPC links the price of attention to the interest your ad creates. It equals CPM divided by the clicks you get per 1,000 impressions, so a cheaper audience or a more clickable ad both lower it.

  • Write hooks and headlines that speak to a specific problem.
  • Test several creatives and keep the ones people click.
  • On Google, use specific keywords and negative keywords so you don't pay for irrelevant searches.

Common mistakes: treating a low CPC as success. Cheap clicks from curious people who never buy are worth less than pricier clicks from buyers. What counts is the cost per sale, so read CPC together with the conversion rate and CPA.

To see which search ads competitors run, search Google ads in the Ads Library.