How to Lower Your Cost Per Click in Google & Facebook Ads with These 15 Proven Tips

Cost per click (CPC) is one of the most important metrics for online advertisers. It measures how much you pay for each click on your ads, and it directly affects your return on investment (ROI). The lower your CPC, the more clicks you can get for your budget, and the more leads and sales you can generate.

But how can you lower your CPC in Google and Facebook ads, the two most popular platforms for online advertising? In this article, we will share 15 proven tips that will help you optimize your campaigns and reduce your CPC. These tips are based on best practices, industry insights, and real-world examples.

1. Set your campaign goal to lead generation

One of the first steps to lower your CPC is to set your campaign goal to lead generation. This means that you want your ads to generate leads, not just clicks or impressions. Leads are potential customers who have shown interest in your product or service, and who have provided their contact information, such as email, phone number, or name.

By setting your campaign goal to lead generation, you can use the lead generation objective in Facebook ads, and the leads or website conversions goals in Google ads. These objectives will optimize your campaigns for generating leads, and will show your ads to people who are more likely to convert. This will improve your quality score, which is a measure of how relevant and useful your ads are to your target audience. A higher quality score will lower your CPC, as Google and Facebook will reward you for providing a good user experience .

2. Limit the number of form fields

Another tip to lower your CPC is to limit the number of form fields that you ask your leads to fill out. Form fields are the boxes where you ask for information, such as name, email, phone number, etc. The more form fields you have, the more friction you create for your leads, and the less likely they are to complete the form.

According to a study by MarketingSherpa, reducing the number of form fields from 11 to 4 increased conversions by 120%. Another study by Unbounce found that reducing the number of form fields from 9 to 3 increased conversions by 25%.

The optimal number of form fields depends on your industry, offer, and audience, but a good rule of thumb is to ask for only the essential information that you need to qualify and follow up with your leads. You can also use progressive profiling, which is a technique that allows you to collect more information from your leads over time, by showing them different form fields based on their previous interactions with your brand.

3. Narrow your target audience but don’t go too niche

One of the most common mistakes that online advertisers make is to target too broad or too narrow audiences. Targeting too broad audiences means that you are showing your ads to people who are not interested in your offer, and who are unlikely to click or convert. This will waste your budget and lower your quality score. Targeting too narrow audiences means that you are limiting your reach and potential, and that you are missing out on opportunities to attract new leads.

The key to lower your CPC is to find the right balance between reach and relevance, and to target audiences that are interested in your offer, but not too saturated or competitive. You can use the audience network tool in Facebook ads, and the display planner tool in Google ads, to find the optimal audience size and characteristics for your campaigns .

You can also use audience insights in Facebook ads, and Google Analytics in Google ads, to learn more about your existing customers and leads, and to find similar audiences that match their demographics, behaviors, and interests .

4. Limit your ad placements

Another tip to lower your CPC is to limit your ad placements, which are the locations where your ads appear. Google and Facebook offer a variety of ad placements, such as search, display, video, mobile, etc. Each placement has its own advantages and disadvantages, and its own cost and performance.

By default, Google and Facebook will show your ads on all available placements, unless you specify otherwise. This means that you may be paying for placements that are not relevant or effective for your campaign goal. For example, if your goal is to generate leads, you may not want to show your ads on video or mobile placements, as they may have lower conversion rates than search or display placements .

To lower your CPC, you should limit your ad placements to the ones that are most suitable for your campaign goal, and that have the best performance and ROI. You can use the placement report in Facebook ads, and the segment by network option in Google ads, to see how your ads perform on different placements, and to adjust your bids and budgets accordingly .

5. Target people in the middle of the funnel

One of the most effective ways to lower your CPC is to target people in the middle of the funnel, also known as the consideration stage. These are people who are aware of their problem and your solution, but who are not ready to buy yet. They are looking for more information, comparison, and validation, before they make a decision.

Targeting people in the middle of the funnel can lower your CPC, because they are more likely to click and convert than people in the top of the funnel, who are not aware of their problem or your solution, and who are not interested in your offer. They are also less competitive and expensive than people in the bottom of the funnel, who are ready to buy, and who are targeted by many advertisers.

To target people in the middle of the funnel, you need to create ads that match their intent and needs, and that offer them value and trust. You can use the custom intent and custom affinity audiences in Google ads, and the interests and behaviors targeting options in Facebook ads, to reach people who are interested in your product or service, or who have visited similar websites or pages .

You can also use the in-market and life events audiences in Google ads, and the purchase behavior and major life events targeting options in Facebook ads, to reach people who are actively looking for products or services like yours, or who are going through a change or transition that may trigger a purchase .

6. Run retargeting campaigns

Another way to lower your CPC is to run retargeting campaigns, which are campaigns that target people who have already interacted with your brand, such as visiting your website, viewing your product, or filling out a form. Retargeting campaigns can lower your CPC, because they target people who are already familiar with your brand, and who are more likely to click and convert than new visitors.

According to a study by AdRoll, retargeting campaigns have 10 times higher click-through rates than regular display ads, and 70% higher conversion rates. Another study by WordStream found that retargeting campaigns have 33% lower CPC than regular display campaigns.

To run retargeting campaigns, you need to use the Facebook pixel in Facebook ads, and the Google tag manager in Google ads, to track and collect data from your website visitors. You can then use the custom audiences in Facebook ads, and the remarketing lists in Google ads, to create segments of your visitors based on their actions and behaviors, and to show them relevant and personalized ads .

7. Use a lookalike audience

Another tip to lower your CPC is to use a lookalike audience, which is an audience that is similar to your existing customers or leads, based on their demographics, behaviors, and interests. A lookalike audience can lower your CPC, because it allows you to reach new people who are likely to be interested in your offer, and who have a high potential to become your customers or leads.

According to a study by Social Media Examiner, lookalike audiences have 30% lower cost per acquisition than interest-based audiences. Another study by AdEspresso found that lookalike audiences have 40% lower CPC than interest-based audiences.

To use a lookalike audience, you need to create a source audience, which is a group of your existing customers or leads that you want to find more people like. You can use the custom audiences in Facebook ads, and the customer match in Google ads, to upload your customer or lead data, such as email, phone number, or name. You can then use the lookalike audiences in Facebook ads, and the similar audiences in Google ads, to create a lookalike audience based on your source audience .

8. Boost organic Facebook posts

Another way to lower your CPC is to boost organic Facebook posts, which are posts that you publish on your Facebook page, and that reach your followers and their friends for free. Boosting organic Facebook posts can lower your CPC, because it allows you to leverage your existing audience and engagement, and to reach more people who are interested in your content and offer.

According to a study by Buffer, boosting organic Facebook posts can increase your reach by 686%, your clicks by 77%, and your conversions by 13%. Another study by Hootsuite found that boosting organic Facebook posts can lower your CPC by 35%.

To boost organic Facebook posts, you need to select the posts that have the best performance and relevance for your campaign goal, and that have a clear call to action. You can use the insights tab on your Facebook page, to see how your posts perform on metrics such as reach, impressions, engagement, and clicks. You can then use the boost post button on your posts, to set your budget, duration, and audience for your boosted posts .

9. Use audience targeting to craft ad copy

Another tip to lower your CPC is to use audience targeting to craft ad copy, which is the text that you use to communicate your offer and value proposition to your audience. Using audience targeting to craft ad copy can lower your CPC, because it allows you to create personalized and relevant messages that resonate with your audience, and that persuade them to click and convert.

According to a study by WordStream, personalized ad copy can increase your click-through rate by 202%, and your conversion rate by 50%. Another study by AdEspresso found that personalized ad copy can lower your CPC by 49%.

To use audience targeting to craft ad copy, you need to segment your audience based on their characteristics, such as demographics, interests, behaviors, and needs. You can use the audience network tool in Facebook ads, and the display planner tool in Google ads, to find the optimal audience segments for your campaigns. You can then use the dynamic keyword insertion feature in Google ads, and the dynamic language optimization feature in Facebook ads, to automatically insert relevant keywords and phrases into your ad copy, based on your audience’s search terms and language preferences .

10. Take advantage of customer testimonials

Another way to lower your CPC is to take advantage of customer testimonials, which are statements from your satisfied customers that express their positive experience and feedback about your product or service. Customer testimonials can lower your CPC, because they provide social proof and credibility for your brand, and they influence your audience’s decision making and trust.

According to a study by Nielsen, customer testimonials can increase your conversion rate by 270%, and your revenue by 62%. Another study by BigCommerce found that customer testimonials can lower your CPC by 28%.

To take advantage of customer testimonials, you need to collect and showcase them on your website, landing page, and ads. You can use tools such as Trustpilot, Yotpo, or Bazaarvoice, to collect and display customer reviews and ratings on your website and landing page. You can also use the customer review extensions in Google ads, and the customer feedback ads in Facebook ads, to show customer testimonials on your ads .

11. Write engaging headlines

Another tip to lower your CPC is to write engaging headlines, which are the first and most important part of your ads, and that capture your audience’s attention and interest. Writing engaging headlines can lower your CPC, because they can increase your click-through rate, and improve your quality score.

According to a study by Copyblogger, headlines can account for 80% of your ad’s success, and can increase your click-through rate by 500%. Another study by WordStream found that headlines can lower your CPC by 21%.

To write engaging headlines, you need to use the following best practices:

• Use clear and concise language
• Include your main keyword and value proposition
• Use emotional triggers and power words
• Use numbers and statistics
• Use questions and curiosity
• Use social proof and urgency

12. Direct people to a giveaway

Another way to lower your CPC is to direct people to a giveaway, which is a promotion that offers your audience a chance to win a free product, service, or gift, in exchange for their contact information or participation. Directing people to a giveaway can lower your CPC, because it can increase your click-through rate, and generate more leads and engagement.

According to a study by Sumo, giveaways can increase your click-through rate by 238%, and your conversion rate by 66%. Another study by Wishpond found that giveaways can lower your CPC by 85%.

To direct people to a giveaway, you need to create a landing page that showcases your giveaway, and that collects your audience’s information. You can use tools such as Rafflecopter, Gleam, or KingSumo, to create and manage your giveaway, and to integrate it with your website and landing page. You can then create ads that promote your giveaway, and that direct people to your landing page .

13. Improve your page’s load speed

Another tip to lower your CPC is to improve your page’s load speed, which is the time it takes for your website or landing page to load and display on your audience’s device. Improving your page’s load speed can lower your CPC, because it can improve your user experience, and reduce your bounce rate and abandonment rate.

According to a study by Google, page load speed can affect your conversion rate by 20%, and your revenue by 12%. Another study by Unbounce found that page load speed can lower your CPC by 16%.

To improve your page’s load speed, you need to use the following best practices:

• Use a fast and reliable web host
• Optimize your images and videos
• Minify your code and scripts
• Use a content delivery network (CDN)
• Enable caching and compression
• Reduce redirects and plugins

You can use tools such as Google PageSpeed Insights, GTmetrix, or Pingdom, to measure and improve your page’s load speed, and to get recommendations and suggestions for optimization .

14. Run A/B tests

Another way to lower your CPC is to run A/B tests, which are experiments that compare two or more versions of your ads, landing pages, or other elements, to see which one performs better. Running A/B tests can lower your CPC, because it can help you find the optimal combination of factors that influence your click-through rate, conversion rate, and quality score.

According to a study by Optimizely, A/B testing can increase your conversion rate by 113%, and your revenue by 39%. Another study by VWO found that A/B testing can lower your CPC by 41%.

To run A/B tests, you need to use the campaign experiments feature in Google ads, and the split testing feature in Facebook ads, to create and run different versions of your ads, and to measure and compare their performance. You can also use tools such as Unbounce, Instapage, or Leadpages, to create and test different versions of your landing pages, and to integrate them with your ads .

15. Conclusion

Lowering your CPC in Google and Facebook ads is not an easy task, but it is possible and rewarding. By following the 15 proven tips that we shared in this article, you can optimize your campaigns and reduce your CPC, and achieve better results and ROI for your online advertising.

We hope you found this article helpful and informative. If you have any questions or feedback, please let us know in the comments below.