Cost per click (CPC)

Cost per click (CPC) is the price an advertiser pays each time someone clicks an ad. Google's definition separates the maximum an advertiser will pay from the "actual CPC" charged, which is often lower. Google notes that CPC pricing is also called pay-per-click (PPC).

CPC tells you what traffic costs, not what it earns. A low CPC can still mean a high cost per booking if few visitors book. Example: a tour operator pays per click on a headline about small-group trips to Japan. It then checks how many of those clicks turn into brochure requests.

Related: CPM · click-through rate · cost per booking