Glossary

CPC (Cost Per Click)

The amount an advertiser pays each time someone clicks on their ad - a key metric for measuring paid advertising efficiency.

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CPC

Marketing

What Is CPC (Cost Per Click)?

Cost Per Click (CPC) is the fundamental pricing metric in PPC advertising. In automotive, CPCs vary widely by keyword type: branded terms ("[Dealership Name]") cost $0.50-$2, model terms ("2026 Toyota Camry") cost $2-$5, competitive terms ("Toyota dealer near me") cost $5-$15, and service terms ("oil change near me") cost $3-$8. High CPCs are the primary motivation for investing in organic SEO - ranking organically for a keyword that costs $10/click saves $10 for every organic click received. Dealerships that build strong content strategies can reallocate 20-40% of PPC budget to organic channels over 12-18 months, reducing cost per lead while maintaining or increasing total lead volume.

Related Terms

PPC

A digital advertising model where advertisers pay each time a user clicks their ad - Google Ads is the most common PPC platform for dealerships.

CPA

The total cost of acquiring a new customer through a marketing channel - calculated by dividing total channel spend by the number of customers acquired.

Quality Score

Google Ads' rating of the quality and relevance of your keywords, ads, and landing pages - directly affecting ad position and cost per click.

Deep-Dive Guides

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/resources/google-ads-dealerships

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