Cost Per Click (CPC)
What you pay every time someone clicks your ad.
The Tradie Take
CPC is like paying for each brochure you hand out at Bunnings, instead of paying for the whole billboard. You only pay when someone actually takes a brochure (clicks your ad). If they bin it, you've paid for that one. So you want to make sure your brochure (landing page) is good enough that they actually call.
Definition
Cost Per Click (CPC) is the amount you pay each time someone clicks on your Google or Facebook ad. Unlike traditional advertising where you pay whether they call or not, CPC means you only pay for engagement. The actual cost per click varies by industry, location, and how competitive the keywords are. For tradies, CPC can range from a few dollars for local service ads to much more for competitive terms.
How It Works
- 1 You set a maximum bid - the most you're willing to pay for a click
- 2 The actual CPC is often lower than your max bid due to the auction system
- 3 You pay per click whether they call, book, or leave immediately
- 4 Higher Quality Score = lower CPC and better ad positions
Tips for Tradies
- Focus on conversion rate, not just CPC - a cheap click that never calls is still wasted money
- Improve your Quality Score to lower your CPC - better ads cost less per click
- Use negative keywords to stop paying for clicks from people who'll never be customers