How to Fix High CPC in Google Ads
High CPC is one of the most frustrating challenges founders face when running Google Ads. Every click costs more, budgets evaporate faster, and suddenly customer acquisition becomes unsustainable.
If your startup relies on paid search to grow, knowing how to fix high CPC in Google Ads isn’t optional — it’s survival. The good news: high CPC is rarely permanent. With the right optimisation steps, you can bring costs down, improve campaign efficiency, and stretch your budget further.
In this article, we’ll explain what high CPC means, why it happens, how to diagnose the problem, and most importantly — how to fix it.
What Does “High CPC” Really Mean?
CPC (cost per click) is the price you pay every time someone clicks your ad. A “high CPC” simply means you’re paying more than expected for that click.
But context matters. A €3 CPC could be low in a competitive SaaS market and high for a local DTC brand. For startups, high CPC becomes a real problem when:
- Customer acquisition costs (CAC) rise above sustainable levels.
- Budget is consumed too quickly to generate results.
- Paid campaigns no longer compete with other growth channels.
So the real question isn’t just “what is a high CPC?” but “is my CPC too high for the value of each customer?”
Why CPC Gets Too High in Google Ads
High CPC is rarely random. In most cases, it’s a symptom of underlying campaign issues. The most common causes are:
- Intense competition – more advertisers bidding on the same keywords drives up costs.
- Low Quality Score – when your ad relevance, CTR, and landing page experience are poor, Google charges you more.
- Broad match types – bidding too broadly pulls in irrelevant clicks.
- Weak ad copy – if your ad doesn’t earn clicks, CTR falls and CPC rises.
- Landing page issues – slow load times or poor relevance hurt Quality Score and inflate CPC.
For founders, this is more than a technical problem. Every wasted click is wasted runway.
How to Diagnose High CPC
Before you learn how to fix high CPC in Google Ads, you need to understand why it’s happening. Here’s where to start:
- Check your Search Terms Report – are you paying for irrelevant queries?
- Look at CTR vs. CPC – low CTR usually equals high CPC.
- Analyse Quality Score – break down expected CTR, ad relevance, and landing page experience.
- Audit your landing page – speed, mobile experience, and message alignment matter.
Diagnosis is half the battle. Once you know the source, you can fix it.
How to Fix High CPC in Google Ads
Here are proven steps to bring your costs down:
1. Improve Quality Score
Align keyword → ad copy → landing page. When Google sees relevance, you pay less.
2. Use Negative Keywords
Cut out irrelevant searches draining your budget. A single negative keyword can slash CPC overnight.
3. Optimise Ad Copy for CTR
High CTR tells Google your ad is valuable. More clicks = lower CPC. Test headlines and CTAs aggressively.
4. Switch Bidding Strategies
Manual CPC isn’t always efficient. Test automated bidding like Target CPA or Target ROAS.
5. Target Long-Tail Keywords
Broad, competitive terms are expensive. Long-tail keywords are cheaper and often convert better.
6. Refine Targeting
Geo, device, and audience targeting all influence CPC. Cut waste, focus budget where it works.
When you combine these steps, CPC starts to drop — but more importantly, ROI starts to rise.
Startup Growth Marketing and CPC
High CPC doesn’t mean paid ads don’t work. It means you need a smarter approach. In startup growth marketing, CPC is just one piece of the puzzle.
What matters is the bigger equation: CAC vs. LTV. Lowering CPC is good, but aligning campaigns so every euro drives meaningful pipeline is better.
This is why many founders mix paid social campaigns with Google Ads — balancing intent-driven traffic with awareness and retargeting.
Performance Advertising and Cost Control
Performance advertising is about accountability. Every click, every conversion, every euro must be tracked and optimised.
To keep CPC under control:
- Integrate tools like HubSpot or GA4 for clear attribution.
- A/B test both ads and landing pages.
- Pause underperforming campaigns quickly.
- Double down on proven winners.
This is how startups scale advertising without losing control of costs.
Scale Your Ads Without Burning Budget
High CPC doesn’t just drain budgets — it slows growth. That’s exactly why we built the Ad Campaign Pack.
With it, startups can:
- Lower CPC across Google, Meta, LinkedIn, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube.
- Run performance advertising that tracks every euro to real results.
- Combine startup growth marketing tactics with proven funnel frameworks.
- Get hands-on optimisation instead of generic “best practices.”
Then €1180.90 per month
Final Thoughts
High CPC is a signal that something in your campaign needs fixing.
Founders who treat high CPC as a solvable problem — and take action — protect budgets, improve ROI, and scale faster.
In 2025, paid ads are only getting more competitive. The startups who win will be those who know exactly how to fix high CPC in Google Ads and turn it into a growth advantage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is considered high CPC in Google Ads?
It depends on your industry, but any CPC that makes CAC unsustainable is too high.
Why is my CPC so high despite good ads?
Check your Quality Score, bidding strategy, and landing page — one weak link can inflate CPC.
How long does it take to lower CPC?
With optimisation, results can appear within 2–4 weeks.
Can startups with small budgets compete on Google Ads?
Yes, by focusing on long-tail keywords, high Quality Score, and performance-driven targeting.
Related Reading
OFFICIAL AFFILIATION
🤝 Through our affiliation with AdCreative.ai, Bulbul sets up the platform free of charge for our clients.
This gives startups instant access to AI-powered ad creative generation and performance scoring—so every campaign we manage for you runs with speed, precision, and higher impact.
👋 As an official affiliation member, Bulbul runs and optimises your campaigns directly on the platform.
New advertisers also benefit from up to $375 in free ad credit, which we leverage to maximise your reach and engagement with Snapchat’s young, dynamic audience.
Comments are closed.