11 Tips to Decrease CPC in Google Ads

You don’t have a traffic problem. You have a cost problem.

Google Ads is an auction. And in an auction, the highest bidder wins, but that doesn’t mean the smartest bidder pays the most. In fact, the most effective advertisers pay less per click while still dominating the search results.

Why?

Because they understand how to work with the system rather than against it.

Let’s break down how you can decrease your CPC (cost per click) without sacrificing performance, so you can get more results while spending less.

“Reducing CPC to a third of what he’s currently paying is close to impossible. That’s because we have very little control over the cost per click. Google sets the lowest price they’ll charge you, and other advertisers bid the cost up.”
– Pete Bowen, Marketing Strategist

Improve Your Quality Score (The Secret Weapon)

Google assigns every keyword a Quality Score, which is a 1-10 rating based on three factors:

• Expected CTR (Click-Through Rate). How likely your ad is to get clicked.
• Ad Relevance. How closely your ad matches the search intent.
• Landing Page Experience. How well your landing page delivers on the promise of your ad.

The kicker? 

Higher Quality Scores mean lower CPCs. Google literally rewards advertisers for making better ads. If your competitor is bidding $3.00 per click and has a Quality Score of 5, while you bid $2.00 but have a Quality Score of 10, you win the auction at a lower cost.

Quick Fixes to Boost Quality Score

Use Long-Tail Keywords (Pay Less for More Intent)

Not all keywords are created equal. Short, high-volume keywords like “running shoes” are ultra-competitive and expensive. But long-tail keywords like “best running shoes for flat feet men” are cheaper, more targeted, and often have higher conversion rates.

How to Find Cheaper Keywords:

• Use Google’s Keyword Planner to identify long-tail variations.
• Check the “People also ask” section in Google search results.
• Mine your Search Terms Report in Google Ads for hidden gems.

Use Negative Keywords (Stop Paying for Junk Clicks)

Every click costs money. But not every click is worth paying for. Negative keywords help block irrelevant searches so you don’t waste money on unqualified traffic.

Examples of Negative Keywords:

• “Free”. Unless you offer free products, block searches like “free marketing software”.
• “Jobs”. If you’re selling software, you don’t want clicks from people searching “digital marketing jobs”.
• Competitor names. If someone is searching for a competitor by name, they likely already made up their mind.

How to Implement Negative Keywords:

1. Go to Google Ads > Audiences, Keywords and Content > Search Keywords.
2. Go to the Negative search keywords tab.
3. Add irrelevant search terms (by pressing the + sign on the top-left corner) based on your Search Terms Report.
4. Regularly review and update the list to cut out wasteful clicks.

4. Adjust Your Bidding Strategy (Don’t Let Google Overcharge You)

Google wants you to spend more. That’s why automated bidding often prioritizes spend over efficiency.

Smart Bidding Adjustments:

• Use Manual CPC (with Enhanced CPC disabled). This gives you full control over your bids.
• Set bid adjustments for device types. Lower bids for underperforming devices.
• Experiment with Target CPA or Maximize Conversions. But monitor results closely!

Optimize Your Ad Copy (Increase CTR, Lower CPC)

Better ads get more clicks. More clicks = higher Quality Score. Higher Quality Score = lower CPC.

High-Impact Ad Copy Tips:

• Use numbers (“Save 20% Today” performs better than “Big Savings”).
• Address pain points (“Struggling to Rank on Google? We Can Help”).
• Include emotional triggers (“Stop Wasting Money on PPC That Doesn’t Convert”).

Target High-Intent Audiences (Reduce Wasted Clicks)

Google Ads allows you to layer targeting options to refine your audience. More precision means fewer wasted clicks and lower CPCs.

Best Audience Targeting Strategies:

• In-Market Audiences. Target users actively searching for what you sell.
• Custom Intent Audiences. Build audiences based on specific keyword searches.
• RLSA (Remarketing Lists for Search Ads). Show ads only to people who’ve already visited your site.

Optimize Your Landing Pages (Better Conversions, Lower CPCs)

A great ad with a bad landing page is like a fast car with no wheels: it won’t get you anywhere.

Google penalizes ads that send users to irrelevant or slow-loading pages by increasing CPC. Your landing page should:

• Match the ad copy exactly (if the ad says “50% Off Running Shoes”, the landing page must show that offer!).
• Load in under 3 seconds (use tools like PageSpeed Insights to test this).
• Have a clear call-to-action (Make it obvious what users should do next!).

Use Ad Scheduling (Run Ads When They Convert Best)

Not all hours of the day are equal in PPC. If most of your conversions happen between 9 AM – 6 PM, why pay for clicks at 2 AM?

How to Schedule Ads for Lower CPC:

1. Go to Google Ads > Ad Schedule
2. Analyze performance by day and hour
3. Reduce bids (or pause ads) during low-converting times

Spy on Competitors (And Beat Them at Their Own Game)

Want to know what keywords and ads your competitors are using? Tools like SEMRush, SpyFu, or Google Ads Auction Insights let you analyze their strategies so you can outperform them at a lower CPC.

Quick Wins from Competitor Analysis:

• Find underutilized keywords where competition is lower.
• Discover ad copy ideas that get the highest engagement.
• Identify bidding trends to adjust your own strategy.

Run A/B Tests Constantly (Optimize or Die)

The difference between a winning ad and a losing ad? Testing.

Google Ads success isn’t about setting and forgetting—it’s about iterating and improving. Always be testing:

• Headlines. Which one drives the most clicks?
• Call-to-action buttons. Does “Get Started” work better than “Try for Free”?
• Landing pages. Do users convert better with long-form content or short pages?

Avoid Common Google Ads CPC Mistakes

Many advertisers unknowingly increase their CPC due to simple mistakes.

Fixing these mistakes can instantly reduce your CPC and improve ROI.

Final Thoughts: Spend Smarter, Not More

The biggest myth in PPC? That you have to spend more to get better results.

The reality? The best advertisers spend less per click by understanding how Google Ads really works.

By boosting Quality Scores, refining targeting, blocking bad clicks, and optimizing landing pages, you can lower your CPC while increasing conversions.

As you can see, a lot goes in to optimize your cost-per-click. Which is just one aspect of your overall PPC strategy. Running Google Ads requires a lot more than just sign up and click publish. 

Consistent monitoring, expertise and optimization with all metrics in mind are obligatory.