Cost Per Click (CPC) is a digital advertising metric that measures the amount paid by an advertiser for a click on their sponsored ad. CPC is commonly associated with pay-per-click (PPC) advertising platforms like Google Ads, Bing Ads, Facebook Ads, and other digital advertising networks.

AnswerThePublic's Approach to CPC

AnswerThePublic bases its Cost-Per-Click (CPC) values on estimations and information directly from Google Ads. It’s updated monthly, and the data you will see is related to the previous month.

It is also important to note that some keywords will display a CPC value depending on their commercial value. They won't display a CPC number if they don't have enough commercial intent or value.

Understanding Keyword Popularity

The terms with a Dark Orange dot are currently the most popular. Light Orange indicates the term is less popular.

AnswerThePublic also understands keyword popularity according to current trends. A keyword may have a high search volume, but that doesn't mean it is good, has commercial intent, or has value right now.

Cross-checking with Google Keyword Planner and Analyzing CPC on Google Ads

The best way to evaluate our data is to cross-check with Google Keyword Planner from Google Ads.

Here's a step-by-step guide on how to check CPC for your campaigns:

Log in to your Google Ads account: Visit the Google Ads website and log in with the account you use to manage your ads.

Navigate to the Campaigns: Once logged in, you'll be on the main dashboard. Click on 'Campaigns' from the page menu on the left to view the list of your campaigns.

Select the Campaign or Ad Group: Choose a campaign or an ad group to check the CPC. Clicking on a campaign will take you to the ad groups, and clicking on an ad group will show you the ads and keywords.

Check the CPC Columns: Within your campaign or ad group, you will see various columns such as "Status", "Clicks", "Impressions", "CTR" (Click-Through Rate), and "Avg. CPC". The "Avg. CPC" column shows the average amount you've been charged for a click on your ad. If you do not see this column, add it using the column modification option.

Customize Columns (if necessary): If the "Avg. CPC" column isn't visible, you can add it by clicking on its icon (which might look like a column chart) at the top of the statistics table. From there, select "Modify columns" and then add "Avg. CPC" from the "Performance" category.

Analyze Your CPC: Look at the "Average. CPC" to understand what you're currently paying, on average, for clicks in the selected campaign or ad group. You can see this data at different levels—campaign, ad group, or keyword level.

Use the Keyword Planner for CPC Estimates: Use the Google Ads Keyword Planner to check potential CPC for keywords you’re considering. It gives you estimated CPCs for your chosen keywords based on historical data.

Adjust Bids Accordingly: If your CPC is higher than desired, consider lowering your bids or improving your Quality Score by optimizing your ad relevance and landing pages. You might increase your bids if you’re willing to increase potential traffic.

Adapting Strategies Based on CPC Analysis

Remember, various factors, including your bid, quality score, competition, and ad extensions, can influence your CPC. Checking and adjusting bids regularly can help optimize your CPC for the best performance within your budget.

Important Note on Google Ads Changes

Additionally, the Google Ads interface and features can change over time, so the exact steps might vary slightly if Google has updated the platform since the last update in April 2023.

Purpose of CPC in Content Analysis

Keep in mind that the purpose of having Cost-Per-Click (CPC) is mainly to add another layer of information to the content analysis since AnswerThePublic is built for and focused on content that can help you generate content ideas that are relevant and optimized for SEO.

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