CPC (cost per click) is the cost of a single click on your ad. You calculate it by dividing the budget spent by the number of clicks: a budget of £60 and 200 clicks give a CPC of 30p. In Google Ads it’s the basic billing model, and in Meta Ads it’s one of the main metrics to keep an eye on.
What drives CPC?
Competition for the audience and the quality of your ad. In Poland, Google Ads keywords with buying intent, such as ‘divorce lawyer Lublin’, can cost about £3 a click, while informational keywords cost a few pence. Ad platforms reward relevant ads: the better your CTR and audience match, the less you pay for the same traffic.
Is a low CPC always a good thing?
No, and it’s a common trap. Cheap clicks from random traffic can end up costing more than expensive clicks from customers who have made up their minds. In Poland, we’ve seen campaigns where an 8p CPC generated zero enquiries while a 77p CPC delivered leads, because it reached the right people. Always judge CPC together with your conversion rate and the cost of acquiring a customer (CPA). ‘Cheap’ on its own isn’t a campaign goal.
