What you pay for, by campaign type
| Campaign and bidding | You pay for |
|---|---|
| Search, cost per click | Clicks only |
| Display, cost per click | Clicks only |
| Display, viewable CPM | Every 1,000 viewable impressions |
| YouTube skippable ads, cost per view | A 30-second view, the whole ad if shorter, or a click |
| YouTube bumper ads | Every 1,000 impressions |
| Local Services Ads | Qualified leads, not clicks |
The YouTube rules come from Google's guide to video ad formats. Local Services Ads charge per lead instead of per click.
Free impressions still have value
On a search campaign with cost-per-click bidding, every impression without a click is free advertising. People see your name, your offer and your rating. Some come back later by searching your business name.
When many impressions and few clicks is a problem
A low click-through rate signals a mismatch. Searchers see the ad and decide it is not for them. Google also uses expected click-through rate in ad quality, so low CTR can raise what you pay when people do click.
- Rewrite ads to match each keyword group closely.
- Add the price, area or offer people look for.
- Block searches that trigger the ad but never fit.
- Use ad assets like calls and sitelinks to take more space.
Good example. A locksmith sees thousands of impressions for "locksmith training" with no clicks, adds "training" as a negative keyword and saves the impressions for buyers.
Bad example. A locksmith ignores low CTR because impressions are free, while quality scores drop and click prices rise.
Read what CTR is. Our PPC management picks bidding that charges for what you actually want.