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What is Cost Per Click in PPC?

Samuel Edwards
|
November 23, 2022

If pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is new to you, the many metrics and terms might confuse you at first. The most common words you’ll see the most are PPC and cost-per-click (CPC). It’s good to offer quick summaries of both, but understanding what they’re about and how they’re related takes explanation, as we do below.

An Overview of PPC

What PPC Success Looks Like

When you begin to focus your website efforts on gaining more visitors, you can choose managed search engine optimization or PPC advertising, among other things. Most websites do both.

PPC is a form of digital advertising where you pay every time someone clicks your ad.

You may have the campaign set up for a certain sum per click. Usually, site owners establish a daily budget they want to spend. The value of every click will vary based on search volume and competition.

Your other option when you choose PPC advertising is to pay for your ad’s impressions. This is also known as ‘views.’ The term means how many times your ad is put on a page from the advertising source, no matter if it was seen or not. Impressions are counted by cost per 1000 impressions or CPM. If you use Google Display Network ads, you’re probably paying per 1000 impressions.

Impressions don’t require the prospect to click anything. They may not take any action. With clicks, you know the person who clicked your link and visited your site. They haven’t viewed your site yet or bought anything but getting them there is step 1.

An Overview of CPC

CPC CTR Relevance Score

CPC measures how much a click costs you in a given industry for specific keywords. Cost depends on how popular those keywords are and how often they’re searched. If you run advertisements for ‘Adele bloopers,’ and Adele falls down the steps the next day, you’ll pay a much higher CPC because there will be so many more searches for that phrase. If you set a fixed budget, you won’t lose your shirt, but your funds will be gone faster.

CPC is one aspect of PPC marketing, but CPC may refer to the entirety of PPC advertising. CPC helps you determine how pricey a keyword phrase is against the advantage and strategies for gaining the clicks. It’s helpful to decide on the best terms to select and when you figure your return-on-investment when the campaign is running.

How To Determine Your CPC

These factors decide what your CPC is, either on Bing or Google:

  • Maximum bid: This is the sum you’ll pay when a prospect clicks your ad.
  • Quality score: This comes from the quality of the landing page, the relevance of keywords, and CTR.
  • The rank of ad: Factors within and outside your control influence this. Such as search context, quality of the ad when you started the campaign, and how much you bid.

Keep in mind that having a high bid doesn’t mean you’ll win the auction. If you keep the highest quality score and ad rank possible, you can obtain an excellent return with your PPC ads.

How To Lower Your CPC

Are you looking to get ideal results from your digital ad campaigns? Then you need to lower your CPC. Here are some sure-fire ways for great results:

Finetune Your Audience

The audience you target is a significant factor that will affect your cost-per-click for social media and PPC ads. You want to get your ads in front of people who desire your services or products and get a click. To lower CPC, determine who the audience is as accurate as possible.

How to do this? Think about the people most likely to line up and buy your products or services today. Who’s your ideal customer?

Consider age, marital status, purchasing habits, hobbies, gender, and occupation. All of these demographics affect the audience’s buying decision. For instance, single women who are 20 years old and like running will have different characteristics than married men who are 55 and love to sail.

When you refine the audience, you’re getting more specific on who you want to reach. Of course, your business could have several ideal customer types. You should have different ad groups for each one.

Devise Relevant Advertisements

It seems obvious, but creating ads your audience will respond to is essential. The relevancy of each ad affects social media and PPC advertising.

With PPC, the relevancy of the ad applies to the quality score. It’s a significant factor that affects the quality score of each ad. Google or other search engines will check the keyword selection and the ad to check that it dovetails with those keywords.

When you own a high-quality score, your ads will be placed higher. You’ll get better leads. Also, you can get a lower cost-per-click because of the ad’s high relevancy. In this way, you can drop your CPC with effective pay-per-click advertising.

When you do your social media ad buys, the relevancy of the ad affects your cost-per-click. Social media websites strive to put relevant ads in front of the appropriate audience. When you make your ad highly relevant to your chosen audience, your cost decreases.

If your ads aren’t quality, they may not only receive a poor score, but they could also be suspended from Google altogether.

Write An Outstanding Call To Action (CTA)

Optimize Your CTA Copy

Some write it as an afterthought, but the CTA is possibly the most essential part of your digital ad. It gives the prospect instructions on how to interact with you.

An effective CTA matters because it nudges the person in the appropriate direction. Many prospects will be intrigued by the ad and want to move forward.

If you’re doing PPC ads, you’ll want a compelling CTA on the landing page. This will grab more leads for your site.

Don’t make the CTA generic; if you say, ‘click here,’ yawn! They aren’t learning anything about the next stop.

Try something specific, such as ‘download your free report now.’ They know what’s going to happen, and they’re getting something valuable to them.

Now that you’ve learned more about CPC, PPC, and how to lower your cost-per-click, you should be ready to craft some compelling ads that will make your business more profitable.

Author
Recent Posts

Samuel Edwards

Chief Marketing Officer

Throughout his extensive 10+ year journey as a digital marketer, Sam has left an indelible mark on both small businesses and Fortune 500 enterprises alike. His portfolio boasts collaborations with esteemed entities such as NASDAQ OMX, eBay, Duncan Hines, Drew Barrymore, Price Benowitz LLP, a prominent law firm based in Washington, DC, and the esteemed human rights organization Amnesty International. In his role as a technical SEO and digital marketing strategist, Sam takes the helm of all paid and organic operations teams, steering client SEO services, link building initiatives, and white label digital marketing partnerships to unparalleled success. An esteemed thought leader in the industry, Sam is a recurring speaker at the esteemed Search Marketing Expo conference series and has graced the TEDx stage with his insights. Today, he channels his expertise into direct collaboration with high-end clients spanning diverse verticals, where he meticulously crafts strategies to optimize on and off-site SEO ROI through the seamless integration of content marketing and link building.

Latest posts by

Samuel Edwards

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Author

Samuel Edwards

Chief Marketing Officer

Throughout his extensive 10+ year journey as a digital marketer, Sam has left an indelible mark on both small businesses and Fortune 500 enterprises alike. His portfolio boasts collaborations with esteemed entities such as NASDAQ OMX, eBay, Duncan Hines, Drew Barrymore, Price Benowitz LLP, a prominent law firm based in Washington, DC, and the esteemed human rights organization Amnesty International. In his role as a technical SEO and digital marketing strategist, Sam takes the helm of all paid and organic operations teams, steering client SEO services, link building initiatives, and white label digital marketing partnerships to unparalleled success. An esteemed thought leader in the industry, Sam is a recurring speaker at the esteemed Search Marketing Expo conference series and has graced the TEDx stage with his insights. Today, he channels his expertise into direct collaboration with high-end clients spanning diverse verticals, where he meticulously crafts strategies to optimize on and off-site SEO ROI through the seamless integration of content marketing and link building.

Related posts

Samuel Edwards
|
May 30, 2025
PPC Case Study: Tampa, Florida Apartment Complex

When this apartment complex client partnered with PPC.co, their goal was clear: generate more qualified leads through Google Ads. In just 60 days—from January to March 2025—we transformed their paid acquisition performance. Total conversions more than tripled, jumping from 10 to 32, while the overall conversion rate soared by over 300%. At the same time, we drove down the cost per conversion by 44%, delivering significantly more leads at a much lower cost. 

By strategically combining Performance Max and high-intent Search campaigns, we not only increased lead volume but improved overall efficiency and ROI. This rapid and measurable improvement underscores the value of data-driven optimization and expert campaign management.

January 2025

March 2025

‍

Campaign Analysis Summary

January 2025

  • Total Ad Spend: $498.63

  • Total Conversions: 10

  • Cost per Conversion: $49.86

  • Overall Conversion Rate: 1.12%

  • Campaigns Active:

    • Performance Max (PMax):

      • Conversions: 10

      • Conversion Rate: 1.12%

      • Cost per Conversion: $49.86

    • Search Campaign: No conversions or spend.

March 2025

  • Total Ad Spend: $898.54

  • Total Conversions: 32

  • Cost per Conversion: $28.08

  • Overall Conversion Rate: 4.64%

  • Campaigns Active:


    • Performance Max (PMax):


      • Conversions: 19

      • Conversion Rate: 3.74%

      • Cost per Conversion: $27.39

    • Search Campaign:


      • Conversions: 13

      • Conversion Rate: 7.14%

      • Cost per Conversion: $29.08

Strategic PPC Campaign Insights

  • Performance Max Improvements:

    • Conversions almost doubled (10 → 19) with just a 4.4% increase in spend ($498.63 → $520.45).

    • Cost per conversion was nearly cut in half ($49.86 → $27.39), showing better algorithmic targeting or improved creatives/landing page experience.

    • Conversion rate rose from 1.12% to 3.74%, indicating better audience alignment.

  • Search Campaign Activation:

    • Was inactive in January.

    • Delivered strong performance in March with a 7.14% conversion rate and 13 conversions at a very competitive $29.08 cost per conversion.

    • High interaction rate (7.65%) shows strong ad engagement and search intent alignment.

What’s the path going forward? 

  1. Continue Campaign Diversification:

    • The dual strategy of running both PMax and Search campaigns is proving effective. Continue scaling with both to diversify reach and conversion sources.

  2. Increase Budget Strategically:

    • Given the efficiency improvements (43.7% drop in cost per conversion), consider increasing the budget further to capitalize on momentum—particularly for the high-performing Search campaign.

  3. Refine PMax Targeting & Creative:

    • The Performance Max campaign is performing well but has room to improve conversion rate to match the Search campaign. A/B test creatives, refine audience signals, and check landing page relevance.

  4. Track Lead Quality:

    • Ensure that higher conversion volume aligns with high-quality leads or downstream metrics like closed deals or ROI.

‍

‍

The client was thrilled with the performance. As they put it: 

‍

We’re super excited about the results! Can’t wait to see what’s to come!”

‍

Conclusion

This case study is a testament to what can happen when a well-structured campaign meets expert strategy and continuous optimization. Whether you're launching a new property or looking to boost occupancy in a competitive market, PPC.co delivers real results—fast.

Ready to grow your leads and lower your cost per conversion?
Contact us today to schedule a free audit and discover how we can help you achieve similar results.

Click on the following link if you would like to see more PPC case studies! 

‍

Timothy Carter
|
May 29, 2025
How Successful Fashion and Apparel Brands Win With PPC

If you run a fashion or apparel brand, you already know how fierce the competition is. One scroll through Instagram and you’re up against influencer capsule collections, fast fashion giants, and a dozen other brands selling something that looks eerily similar to what you just launched last week. 

So how do you rise above the noise?

Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising can be one of your most powerful weapons…if you know how to use it right.

PPC isn’t just about throwing money at Google or Meta and hoping for the best. It’s about strategy. Precision. Timing. And a deep understanding of what makes your ideal customer click, scroll, save, and, most importantly – buy.

This article will show you exactly how successful fashion brands are using PPC to grow fast, scale smart, and stay ahead. 

Whether you’re a DTC startup or an established apparel line looking to boost your online sales, you’ll walk away with clear steps to sharpen your strategy and drive real results.

1. They Know Their Audience Down to the Sock Size

Before launching a single ad, the best fashion brands get laser-focused on who they’re talking to. Not just demographics like age and gender – but psychographics, style preferences, income levels, and buying behavior.

You need to know:

  • Are your customers buying for themselves or as gifts?
  • Do they splurge or hunt for deals?
  • Are they into minimalism, streetwear, bold prints, or something else entirely?

Use Meta’s Audience Insights, Google Analytics, TikTok Creator Marketplace, or post-purchase surveys to dig deep into the habits of your buyers. The more you understand your buyer persona, the easier it is to write ad copy, choose images, and build irresistible offers that convert.

Here’s a pro tip for you. Many successful brands create different audience segments and run tailored ads for each. One segment might respond to lifestyle-focused creative. Another might want free shipping and a clear price. By segmenting the audience into different buckets, these brands are able to consistently deliver ads and creatives that are more likely to convert for each demographic.

2. They Build Scroll-Stopping Creatives

In the fashion world, your creative is your first impression. With just a second or two to capture attention, your ad needs to stop the scroll cold. Successful fashion brands do this by focusing on movement, people, and something we like to refer to as “microhooks.”

When it comes to getting people to stop scrolling, movement is the best way to grab attention. Research shows that short-form video (6–15 seconds) outperforms most static images across Meta, TikTok, and Pinterest. (Think quick outfit transitions, close-up fabric reveals, or behind-the-scenes clips.) You can also use stop motion or cinemagraphs to add subtle animation to product shots without producing full video. And for TikTok or Instagram Reels, use fast-paced cuts, trending sounds, and quick outfit changes to match user expectations on the platform.

As for people, do your best to feature user-generated content (UGC) from happy customers wearing your products. (You can reach out to repeat buyers or incentivize customers to tag you for a chance to be featured.) You can also collaborate with micro-influencers to shoot content that feels natural, not like an ad.

Finally, leverage microhooks. This is ad copy that highlights the unique benefits that your audience gets with your products. One way to do this is by asking questions that expose a current pain point and insinuate that your products do the opposite. For example, “Wearing stiff jeans in 2025?” or “Tired of leggings that show everything?”

3. They Test Relentlessly (But Intelligently)

One of the biggest PPC mistakes you can make? Launching a campaign, watching it flop, and declaring, “PPC doesn’t work for fashion.”

Top brands don’t just test – they test smart. Here’s how you can do the same:

  • Start small. Launch multiple ad variations with low daily budgets. It’s better to launch 10 different ads spending $100 per day on each than it is to test one ad at $1,000 per day. You’ll get much better data that ends up guiding the iterative process later on.
  • Test one variable at a time. Change just the headline, image, or CTA. That way, you know what made the difference. If you change multiple elements at once, you’ll never actually know what made the difference and what did not.
  • Run A/B tests regularly. Platforms like Google Ads and Meta Ads Manager make it easy. You should always be split testing, even when you have an ad variation that’s crushing it at the moment.
  • Kill losers early. Don’t waste budget on underperforming ads. Shift that money to top performers. If you’ve given an ad at least 72 hours and it’s not performing, kill it and reallocate the funds to a new test ad or an existing winner.

You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. The objective is to keep refining it until it runs smoother and faster.

4. They Use Retargeting to Turn ‘Maybes’ Into Buyers

Most people won’t buy the first time they visit your site – and that’s not a failure. It’s just how online shopping works, especially in fashion. Shoppers might be comparing prices, waiting for payday, or simply scrolling while distracted. 

But successful apparel brands don’t let those warm prospects slip away. They use retargeting to stay top-of-mind and guide potential customers back to the cart.

With tracking pixels installed on your site, you can identify who visited what, how long they stayed, and which products they interacted with. From there, you can serve hyper-relevant ads that feel personal – not generic. 

If someone browsed your linen jumpsuit but didn’t add it to their cart, you can show them that exact product again later – this time with a timely offer like “Free Shipping Ends Tonight” or “Only 3 Left in Your Size.” 

For cart abandoners, you might highlight a hassle-free return policy, reviews from other buyers, or even a quick video showing how to style the item. Retargeting works because it removes the guesswork and friction that keep shoppers from checking out.

More advanced brands go even further by segmenting their audiences based on behavior. For example, someone who lingered on a high-ticket leather jacket might get a different follow-up sequence than someone who looked at a discounted tee. Some campaigns re-engage past customers with complementary products (“Bought the dress? Here’s the perfect bag.”), while others reach back out to lapsed buyers with a loyalty discount. The goal isn’t to stalk – it’s to stay relevant, helpful, and persuasive at exactly the right moment.

If you’ve already paid to get someone to your site, don’t let that investment go to waste. Retargeting is how you turn passive interest into real sales – and it often delivers the highest ROI of any campaign in your entire funnel.

5. They Nail Their Offer Stack

Successful brands don’t rely on aesthetics. They give people a reason to act now. That’s where the offer stack comes in – everything your customer gets when they click “buy.”

Think about:

  • First-time buyer discounts
  • Free shipping thresholds
  • Buy-one-get-one deals
  • Gifts with purchase
  • Limited-edition drops

But don’t make the mistake of jamming every offer into every ad. Instead, match your offer to the audience and funnel stage. For example:

  • Cold traffic? Try a new-customer discount.
  • Cart abandoners? Offer free shipping if they check out today.
  • Past customers? Show a limited VIP bundle offer.

Make sure your offer feels like a win – not some gimmicky trap to get people to buy something. There has to be a level of consistency with your brand that people recognize and resonate with.

6. They Diversify Channels Based on Product Type

Not all PPC platforms are created equal – and the most successful fashion brands understand that. Instead of putting all their ad spend into one platform, they diversify based on their audience, product category, and buying behavior. They choose channels that align with how people shop for their specific type of apparel. Here’s how smart brands match platform to product:

Google Shopping Ads

If you’re selling products people are actively searching for – like “vegan leather boots” or “wool pea coat men’s” – Google Shopping Ads are your best friend. These ads show up directly in search results with product photos, prices, brand names, and ratings. This format is ideal for intent-driven shoppers who already know what they’re looking for and are ready to compare options. For fashion brands with a strong product-market fit and clear differentiators like price, materials, or shipping perks, Shopping Ads can drive highly qualified clicks that convert.

To get the most out of Google Shopping, successful brands optimize their product titles and descriptions with keywords, upload high-quality images, and keep their feed clean and accurate. This is a volume play – great for staples, seasonal items, or products that meet specific needs.

Meta Ads (Facebook + Instagram)

Meta is where most fashion brands start – and for good reason. It’s visually driven, highly customizable, and perfect for storytelling. You can build full-funnel strategies here: introduce your brand with engaging lifestyle video, retarget product viewers with carousel ads, and upsell past customers with limited-time bundles. Meta’s strength lies in its ability to create desire through imagery and social proof.

The most successful apparel ads on Instagram and Facebook pair compelling visuals with aspirational copy. Think: “Your new favorite weekend hoodie,” or “Outfits made for airport looks and coffee runs.” These platforms are especially strong for trend-based products, impulse buys, or highly aesthetic pieces like dresses, outerwear, or coordinated sets.

Pinterest Ads

Pinterest is a hidden gem for fashion brands – especially those targeting women, occasion-based shoppers, or DIY fashionistas. It acts like a visual search engine, which means users are actively planning their next look, vacation wardrobe, or event outfit. Unlike Meta, where ads interrupt, Pinterest ads blend seamlessly into content users are already curating for inspiration.

What works well here? Seasonal collections, bridal and maternity wear, capsule wardrobes, and anything that taps into life milestones. Brands that do well on Pinterest often repurpose lookbooks, blog content, or style guides into promoted pins that link back to product pages or collections. And because pins have a long shelf life, Pinterest campaigns can continue driving traffic well after the ad spend stops.

TikTok Spark Ads

If your brand skews younger – or if you’re trying to reach trendsetters – TikTok is super important. But it’s not about polished brand videos. The content needs to feel native, raw, and personal. That’s where Spark Ads shine. These are paid boosts of organic content (either your own or from creators) that blend seamlessly into the feed.

Fashion brands win on TikTok by showing products in motion, using trending audio, and leaning into humor, storytelling, or transformation-style videos (like before-and-after outfit reveals). Fast fashion, streetwear, bold accessories, and viral-friendly products do especially well here. You can work with creators to show “how it looks on” or do mini hauls that demonstrate fit, stretch, and styling versatility.

This channel is less about direct conversion and more about top-of-funnel discovery. And when  it’s done right, it creates cult followings fast.

YouTube Shorts and Pre-Roll Ads

YouTube is an underrated but powerful channel for fashion brands looking to show off movement, build trust, and drive longer engagement. YouTube Shorts (their answer to TikTok) can showcase outfits in action, quick styling tips, or model walk-throughs in 60 seconds or less. Pre-roll ads, on the other hand, give you more control over brand storytelling.

Think of YouTube as a storytelling and branding platform. It’s especially strong for higher-ticket items like outerwear, formalwear, or custom-tailored pieces where the buyer needs more confidence before purchasing. Brands that leverage YouTube well often blend influencer partnerships, educational content (like “how to build a capsule wardrobe”), and in-depth product demos to establish authority and build affinity.

7. They Ruthlessly Optimize Their Landing Pages

Clicks are worthless if the landing page doesn’t convert.

Once someone clicks your ad, they expect to land on a page that matches the promise of that ad. If they don’t see the product, price, or offer you teased? They bounce.

Here’s what winning landing pages include:

  • High-quality lifestyle imagery
  • Clear sizing charts and fit info
  • Mobile-first design (this is huge!)
  • Reviews and social proof
  • Fast load speed (under 3 seconds)
  • Obvious return/exchange policy

As a final note: Don’t forget to use Dynamic Product Ads (DPAs) where possible, so your landing page and ad are in perfect sync.

Build Your Ad Strategy With PPC.co

Did you know that less than 25 percent of PPC ads industry-wide actually produce conversions? That’s because most PPC agencies are doing it wrong.

At PPC.co, we don’t just pump out ads and try new creatives. We have concrete, proven strategies and frameworks that ensure you get the results you’re looking for.

Want to learn more? Contact us today and we’ll show you how we get results.

‍

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