What is the maximum CPC?

The maximum CPC is the highest amount you are willing to pay for a click on your ad. You set it when you bid manually. It is a bidding limit and not what you actually pay: you usually pay what is needed to hold your position, which is often less than your maximum.

Why is the maximum CPC important?

A ceiling per click: you know in advance what a click may cost at most.
Influence on Ad Rank: a higher bid helps your position, together with ad and landing page quality.
Not a fixed price: you usually pay less than your maximum.

Examples of the maximum CPC

With a maximum CPC of €1.50 you pay at most that amount per click (before bid adjustments), often less.
A store sets brand keywords at €0.50 and expensive product keywords at €2.
With 100 clicks and €80 in costs the average CPC is €0.80, even if the maximum CPC was €1.50.

How do you use the maximum CPC?

Work out your bid from what a click may cost you: calculate back from your conversion rate and the value of a conversion. Then look at impression share and average CPC and adjust in small steps. With Smart Bidding, Google sets the bid for each auction itself. Read more about Google Ads campaigns.

Maximum CPC