Jan 6, 2026
Cost Per Click
CPC
The price paid each time someone clicks your ad. Functions as both a bidding model and performance metric. Higher Quality Scores reduce CPC on Google.
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Formula:
Total Ad Spend ÷ Clicks
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Benchmarks
Google Search: $5.26 (up 12.88% YoY). Legal: $8.58. Facebook: $0.70 (down 9% YoY). LinkedIn: $5-10.
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Why It Matters
Rising CPCs squeeze margins over time. Track monthly trends. If CPC increases without conversion rate improvement, investigate Quality Score, competition, or audience targeting. Facebook CPCs dropped 9% while Google rose 13%—consider budget reallocation.
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