Many advertisers face this type of major problem when they are running PPC ad campaigns. The problem is excessive CPC (Cost Per Click) or spending a large amount of budget on clicks for their Google ads.
But the problem is not limited to running out of budget; here, another major setback comes when the campaign’s conversion rate is also seen to be dropping drastically.
So, without losing time, let’s get straight to the point. Today, in this article, we will discuss some effective and practical strategies that will directly help you optimize your Google Ads CPC and reduce your advertising costs.
Before learning how to reduce the Google ads CPC, first you need to be clear about one fundamental thing. How exactly does Google Ads decide whose ad will be shown in which position in the search results?
Google Auction Process In PPC campaign
A Google search results page usually displays multiple ads. Now, which advertiser’s ads will be first and which advertiser’s ads will be second is determined by a mathematical equation or Ad Rank formula.
The formula is very simple:
Ad Rank = Maximum CPC Bid * Quality Score
Let’s understand everything through an example. Think you and one of your competitors are right now participating in an auction for the same keyword.
Your competitor’s ad rank calculation:
Let’s say your competitor is willing to pay Google a maximum of $4 per click (Max CPC). But their quality score is 9. Then this advertiser’s ad rank will be according to the formula:
4 * 9 = 36.
Now let’s calculate your ad rank:
Let’s say you want to bid more for your campaign, say $5 per click, to win. But your ad’s quality score is a little lower, say 5. So your ad rank will be according to the formula:
5 * 5 = 25.
So, now here everything is clear: your competitor’s ad rank of “36” is much higher than your ad rank “25.” As a result, Google will naturally show your competitor’s ad in the top position, or you could say in the position of the absolute top page.
I hope all the things are clear to you. How can you lose in the Google Ads auction when you want to pay more than your competitor? And here lies the key to CPC optimization.
Simply, if your ad’s quality score is better than your competitors, then it is possible to get really great results from your campaign even with a much lower CPC or spend than your competitors.
So don’t waste time; let’s find out in detail how we can increase this quality score. So our Google Ads campaign CPC, or cost per click, will reduce our ads in one fell swoop.
Improved the PPC Campaign Quality Score
Here the main thing is the quality score of your PPC or Google Ads campaign does not depend on any single factor. If you want to improve your quality score, you will have to maintain many factors perfectly. All of the main factors are
- Relevance in the keywords and your ad copywriting.
- Landing page loading time.
- Landing page relevancy with your ad copy.
- Historical Performance & Overall Account Quality.
Relevance in the keywords and your ad copywriting For Google ads CPC
The first condition for increasing the quality score is relevance. Your targeted keywords and ad copy must match.
Always keep one thing in mind. Google gives more priority to the searcher than the advertiser. Google wants the user to get the right information.
When someone searches on Google by typing a specific keyword, Google looks for relevant ads. A list of those who are advertising on that keyword in that location is created.
Then Google checks your ad copy in depth. Your ad copy is matched with the user’s keyword.
If the ad does not match the keyword, then there will be a loss. Google will not show your ad at the absolute top of the page. At the same time, your CPC will increase a lot.
Google basically wants to give the user the best output. That is Google’s goal, so that the person searching benefits.
So, whatever can be written in the ad cannot be. Always keep a perfect match between the keyword and the ad copy.
Landing page loading time For Google Ads CPC
The loading time of the landing page after clicking on your ad is very important. If your page takes too long to load, then users will leave. So you need to try to make the landing page very fast & user-friendly.
Here, you need to think about one thing first. Which device are your users coming from? If most of the visitors come from mobile phones, then the landing page should be optimized for mobile. Make sure that the page opens quickly and beautifully on the phone screen.
However, the page should be optimized for all devices, not just mobile. If your page is perfect on computers, tablets, and phones everywhere, then it definitely deserves praise. This will greatly increase the value of your page in the eyes of Google.
Landing page relevancy with your ad copy
Your keywords and ad copy may be great. Your landing page may also be fast and user-friendly. But let’s talk about the most important thing. Google also checks the consistency of your ad copy with the writing on the landing page. So, your keywords and ad copy need to match the information on the landing page.
Google never wants to deceive its users. Google does not like it when you say one thing in the ad and another on the landing page. Doing this damages Google’s own reputation. So if this happens, Google will not show your ad on the search results. On the contrary, it will charge you a much higher CPC.
So, before arranging the keywords and ad copy, you need to arrange the landing page. The topics that you are going to write about in the ad should also be kept on your landing page.
At the end when your keywords, ad copy, and landing page relevancy come together, your ad’s quality score will go up significantly. Then you will not have to worry about that.
One bonus tip for local business owners:
If you’re optimizing a landing page for a local business, try something different. Then try to use an attention-grabbing headline on the upper side of your website.
Which one will collect your audience’s attention so easily. Also, try to make sure there’s a clear and easy-to-see call-to-action (CTA) or button. Don’t forget about the CTA button, especially. It should be clear on the website’s upper side. By the way, do you want to learn more about increasing the relevance of your landing page with your ad copy? Then be sure to read our previous article on the topic.
Historical Performance & Overall Account Quality for Google ads CPC
The three things we have already talked about are the main basis of the quality score. But there is one more thing beyond this. If the past record or ‘historical performance’ of your Google Ads account is not good, it will have a negative impact on your quality score.
Many of you may know that our ad accounts are restricted or temporarily closed for various reasons. Sometimes, account restrictions also fall under account restrictions due to policy violations or payment problems. Such records worsen the health of the account.
Therefore, to keep the past performance of the account good, you have to be aware. You have to strictly follow all the rules and regulations of Google. This will maintain the quality of your account. As a result, you will easily get a good quality score in new campaigns in the future.
End of the Article
Reducing your advertising costs or CPC in Google Ads is not magic. It is a game of continuous optimization. Having a high budget is not the same as winning with Google Ads.
Your main focus should be on increasing your quality score for your PPC campaign. Keep the keywords, ad copy, and landing page perfectly matched. At the same time, follow the account rules.
By following these simple but effective strategies, your advertising costs will be reduced significantly. You will get the highest conversions and the best results even with a low cost.
