Marketing glossary
What is CPC (Cost Per Click)?
CPC (Cost Per Click): The amount you pay each time someone clicks your ad. Calculated as total ad spend divided by total clicks.
CPC varies widely by industry, location, competition, and ad quality. A higher CPC isn’t necessarily bad if those clicks convert well; what matters most is cost per acquisition and return on ad spend.
Related terms
- CPA (Cost Per Acquisition)The average cost to get one conversion, such as a lead, booking, or sale. Calculated as ad spend divided by conversions.
- CPM (Cost Per Mille)The cost of 1,000 ad impressions. Common for awareness campaigns and social media ads.
- CTR (Click-Through Rate)The percentage of people who click after seeing your ad or search listing. Calculated as clicks divided by impressions.
- Quality ScoreGoogle Ads’ 1–10 rating of how relevant your keywords, ads, and landing pages are to people searching.