What Should Be the Starting Point with Manual CPC?

The starting point with your manual CPC (Cost-Per-Click) should be reasonable and aligned with the current competitive bids. Setting a CPC that makes sense for the market conditions is essential because if your bid is significantly lower than others on the first page, you likely won’t win any work or clicks.

Full Explanation

When you set a manual CPC bid, it’s important to begin with a value that fits within the existing competitive landscape. This means analyzing the current low bids on the first page and choosing a starting CPC bid that is neither too low nor unrealistically high. For example, if the lowest bid on the first page is $10, placing a bid of $5 is unlikely to secure any impressions or traffic. Your bid needs to balance between competitiveness and your budget constraints.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

Research Current Bids: Identify what the low bids are for your desired ad placement, especially those appearing on the first page of search results.
Set a Reasonable Starting Bid: Choose a manual CPC bid that reflects the competitive bids you discovered. It should at least come close to the lower end of the first page bid range.
Adjust as Needed: Monitor performance and adjust your manual CPC bid to improve your visibility and ROI without overspending.

Real Examples

Consider a scenario where the lowest bid to appear on the first page is $10. Starting your manual CPC bid at $5 demonstrates an example of an unreasonably low bid because it is unlikely to win you any work or clicks. A better approach is to start your bid near or just below the $10 mark to compete effectively.

Common Mistakes

Starting with bids that are too low compared to existing first page bids, resulting in no traffic.
Ignoring market competition and setting arbitrary CPCs without research.
Failing to adjust bids after monitoring performance metrics.

FAQs

Why is it important to start with a reasonable manual CPC?: Because bids that are too low won’t win any visibility, making your campaign ineffective.
What happens if I set my manual CPC below the low bid on the first page?: Your ads likely won’t appear, resulting in zero impressions and no opportunity to get clicks or work.
Can I start with a high manual CPC?: You can, but the key is to find a reasonable starting point that balances competitiveness and budget.

Key Takeaways

Start with a manual CPC bid that realistically matches current competitive bids.
Bids that are too low compared to first page bids yield no results.
Regularly monitor and adjust your CPC bids to optimize for performance.