Focus on Improving Your Quality Score
Google gives every ad a Quality Score, which affects how much you pay for each click. This score is based on three factors:
- The relevance of your ad to the keyword
- The expected click-through rate
- The quality of your landing page
A better Quality Score means Google sees your ad as more helpful and rewards you with lower costs.
To boost your score, ensure your ads are tightly aligned with the keywords you're aiming for. Use the same phrases in your ad headlines and descriptions. Also, send users to a landing page that’s directly related to the ad and provides a smooth, user-friendly experience. For inspiration, explore these best SaaS and eCommerce landing page examples.
Use Long-Tail Keywords
Instead of going after broad, competitive keywords like “insurance” or “fitness coach,” try using more specific phrases — also known as long-tail keywords.
For example, “affordable home insurance in Austin” or “online fitness coach for busy moms” may have lower competition and cost less per click. These types of keywords usually attract people who know what they’re looking for, which can also improve your chances of getting a conversion. So not only do they cost less, but they often bring in better leads.
By using long-tail keywords, you will also be able to target a more specific audience, which leads to higher relevance and better ad performance. Since long-tail keywords are less general, they typically have higher intent, meaning those searching are more likely to take action. This can help you focus your budget on people who are closer to making a decision, ultimately improving your return on investment.
Run Ads at the Right Time
Your ads don’t need to run 24/7. In fact, many clicks during odd hours may not lead to any action. Instead, look at your Google Ads reports and see when your audience is most active and likely to convert.
Once you know your best times, set up ad scheduling to show your ads only during those hours. This simple step can help you avoid wasting money on low-quality clicks and focus your budget where it really counts.
Target Specific Locations
If your business only serves certain areas, make sure you’re not wasting money by targeting locations outside of your reach. For example, if you’re a local plumber in Chicago, there's no need for your ad to show up for users in Los Angeles.
Use Google’s location targeting features to focus only on the cities or zip codes you serve. You can also increase or decrease your bids in specific areas depending on where you’re seeing the most success.
Additionally, using radius targeting lets you focus on areas within a specific distance from your business, ensuring your ads reach potential customers who are within your serviceable range.
By honing in on the right locations, you can maximize your budget and increase the chances of converting local leads into actual customers.
Use Negative Keywords to Avoid Wasted Clicks
Negative keywords are the gatekeepers that prevent your ads from reaching people who aren’t interested in what you offer. These are the words or phrases that you specifically want to exclude from triggering your ads.
By adding negative keywords, you prevent your ads from showing up for irrelevant searches, ensuring that you’re not wasting money on clicks that won’t convert. If you're offering premium services or products, it’s wise to avoid terms like “cheap,” “free,” or “discount.” These words tend to lure in bargain hunters, not customers ready to invest in high-quality offerings.
To keep your campaigns efficient, regularly check your Search Terms Report to see which terms are triggering your ads. This report shows you the exact search phrases people used before clicking your ad. If you notice any irrelevant or unrelated terms that are driving unwanted traffic, be sure to add them as negative keywords. This helps refine your targeting and keeps your ad spend focused on the most relevant potential customers.
Over time, continuously adding negative keywords will improve your ad’s performance, reduce wasted clicks, and ultimately increase your conversion rate by making sure your ads are only shown to people who are most likely to engage with your offer.
Test Different Ad Copy
Sometimes, even small adjustments to your ad copy can lead to significant improvements in your campaign’s performance. It’s worth testing different versions of your ad to see which one resonates best with your target audience. The aim is to discover the winning mix that boosts your click-through rate, ultimately driving down your cost-per-click.
Experiment with different headlines, descriptions, and calls to action to uncover what truly clicks with your audience. For example, changing a CTA like “Contact Us Now” to something more action-oriented like “Get Your Free Quote Today” might be just the change you need to see better results.
Additionally, tweaking the wording in your descriptions to emphasize urgency or exclusivity can also have a significant impact on the ad's appeal.
Google Ads lets you pit different ad versions against each other in a head-to-head showdown, helping you discover which message grabs more attention and drives better results.
By continually optimizing and testing your ad copy, you can improve its effectiveness and reduce your CPC while maintaining or even increasing your conversions. It’s a continuous learning process that pays off in the long run.
Try Smart Bidding Strategies
If you’re manually setting bids, you might be spending more than you need to. Google offers automated bidding strategies like Maximize Conversions or Target CPA (cost per acquisition), which adjust your bids in real time to help you get the best value for your budget.
These smart bidding options are especially useful once your campaign has collected some conversion data. Over time, they can help reduce your CPC while keeping — or even boosting — your conversion rates.
Make Sure Your Landing Page is Optimized
When people click your ad, they expect to land on a page that answers their question or meets their need. If your landing page is slow, confusing, or doesn’t match your ad, they’ll leave — and you’ll have paid for a wasted click.
To keep those conversions rolling in, ensure your landing page is speedy, mobile-friendly, and delivers exactly what your ad promised — no surprises, no slow load times, just a smooth, consistent experience that seals the deal. A well-optimized page improves user experience and contributes to a better Quality Score, which also helps reduce CPC.
Final Thoughts
Lowering your Google Ads cost-per-click doesn’t have to mean losing quality traffic or conversions. By improving your ad relevance, targeting smarter, and continuously testing what works, you can get better results without spending more.
Start small — even one or two changes can make a noticeable difference. Keep refining, keep exploring, and before you know it, your campaigns will be running smoother, converting better, and costing you less.
Author Bio
Andy Beohar is the Managing Partner at SevenAtoms, a leading Google advertising agency, and a Google Premier Ads Partner. Known for its innovative approach to paid search and paid social, SevenAtoms specializes in driving scalable growth for SaaS, Ecommerce, and Tech businesses. Andy plays a key role in shaping PPC strategy and is deeply involved in campaign optimization. Connect with him on LinkedIn or Twitter to discover how Google advertising can transform your business!