Beginner’s PPC bidding guide: How to get the most for your money

So, you’re diving into the world of PPC bidding?

Welcome to the ultimate marketing battlefield, where businesses fight for clicks, conversions, and (let’s be honest) cold, hard cash.

But here’s the catch 🎣

Bidding isn’t about who spends the most, it’s about who spends the smartest. Get it wrong, and your budget vanishes faster than a Snapchat message. Get it right, and you’ll outmaneuver the competition, landing high-quality clicks at (hopefully) the lowest cost possible.

Let’s break down all things PPC 👇

Pick your playground

Before diving into the details of bidding, you need to choose your battlefield 🤔

Each platform attracts a different audience - Microsoft Ads, for example, tends to reach an older, business-focused demographic, while Meta Ads cater to a broader, more diverse crowd.

Different platforms also mean different ad formats and (you guessed it), entirely different ad strategies. Knowing where your audience hangs out is crucial to picking where you focus your ad attention:

Google Ads

The PPC big dog. Perfect for high-intent searches (people already looking for what you sell). If you’re interested in learning more about the different Google Ad types available, you can read our handy article here.

Meta Ads

Covering both Facebook & Instagram, these ads are designed for social engagement. They're perfect for building product and brand awareness, retargeting to capture that second chance at a first impression, and driving quick impulse purchases. You can get to grips with Facebook ads here 👈

Microsoft Ads

Think Google Ads, but with lower competition and often cheaper CPC (cost per click). Microsoft Ads are a perfect hit for B2B sales and attract an older, wealthier audience.

TikTok Ads

The new king on the block when it comes to viral marketing. If you have a product that stops people in their scroll, this is your playground.

LinkedIn Ads

An expensive ad type, but worth it if you’re in B2B, SaaS, or recruitment. We recommend you target by job title, industry, or even company size to ensure your ads reach the right people, first time.

Amazon Ads

These are essential ads for e-commerce brands - if people are searching to buy a specific product, your ad needs to be there.

🔥 Pro tip: If you’re selling visually engaging products, Meta or TikTok might just be better for you than Google. But if people are actively searching for what you offer, Google Ads is your one-stop-shop goldmine.

Mastering the art of PPC bidding

Now for the good stuff 👏

How much are you willing to pay for a click, conversion, or impression? That’s what bidding decides.

Here’s the playbook:

• Manual CPC: You call the shots. Simply set a max cost per click and keep adjusting it based on your campaign performance. Manual CPC offers greater control, but requires constant tweaking, so set aside some regular time to keep things on track.
• Enhanced CPC (ECPC): You’ll still need to set a maximum CPC, but Google will work quietly in the background to keep adjusting your bids in real-time, increasing your chances of conversion. This bidding type is perfect for those who want control with a little AI magic sprinkled in.
• Maximize clicks: This strategy is like casting a wide net. If your goal is to generate as many clicks as possible within your budget, Google can auto-bid to help you achieve that. The downside? Maximizing clicks often leads to fewer conversions.
• Maximize conversions: You can leave Google to take care of all the heavy lifting with this one. They will keep refining bid adjustments to get the most conversions out of your budget. If you’ve got solid conversion tracking in place, this could well be the bidding strategy for you!
• Target ROAS: Google can be left to take the wheel on this one, automatically adjusting bids to hit your desired return on ad spend. If you’re an eCommerce brand thats got plenty of past conversion data, this one could be a bidding strategy to help you shine.

🔥 ​​Pro tip: If you’re just starting out with PPC bidding, Manual CPC or ECPC gives you the most control to protect your ad spend. Once you’ve got some data, start testing automated bidding like Maximize Conversions or Target ROAS.

Start small, scale smart

It’s worth remembering that PPC isn’t a “throw money at it and hope for the best” game.

To get the best out of your bidding strategy, you’ll want to start small, test, and scale.

If you’re asking yourself ‘How much should I spend’, here’s some figures for you:

💸 Low competition niches: $10-$20/day

💸 Moderate competition: $30-$50/day

💸 Highly competitive industries (i.e. legal, finance, SaaS): $50-$100/day

Once you’ve found the sweet spot, you’ll want to test your bidding like a pro:

• Set an initial bid: Start with 50-75% of Google’s suggested CPC to test the waters. If you’re not getting impressions, it’s probably time to increase your bid ✅
• Track CTR & impressions: If people aren’t clicking your ad, it’s probably missing the mark. It’s time to revamp what you’re doing to grab attention ✅
• Analyze your conversion data: Getting clicks but no sales? Your landing page might not be convincing enough to make clicks convert to sales. Optimize it for better results ✅
• Double down on keyword winners: If you’re seeing success with a keyword, we recommend you increase your bid and budget to capitalize on the momentum ✅

🔥 Pro tip: Don’t scale blindly! If you increase your budget, make sure you closely watch your CPA and ROAS to ensure you’re not just paying more for the same results.

Optimize bids like a boss

Bids aren’t one-size-fits-all, so you’ll need to constantly adjust them based on who, where, and when your audience converts best.

Devices: If mobile users are converting better, boost mobile bids! Desktop conversions tanking? Lower them 📱

Locations: Found a high-converting city? Bid more there. Poor-performing areas? Slash your bids to retarget your spend 🌎

Timings: If your sales spike certain days of the week or times, raise bids then and lower them at dead hours (where you see interaction with your ads drop off) 📅

Audience segments: Retargeting audiences is a potential goldmine. These users have already interacted with your brand, so they’re more likely to convert - all you need to do is catch their attention again ✅

🔥 Pro tip: Small bid tweaks can have a huge impact on performance without tanking your budget. We’re talking 5-10% increases, go steady!

Automation is your friend, not your boss

Ai powered bidding strategies can help you save time and optimize on the go, but trusting them to manage things blindly is a big ❌

Manual strategies = Ultimate control: You set the max CPC and adjust based on real ad performance. Your time might take a hit, but at the benefit of cost savings. ‍

Automated strategies = Maximum efficiency: AI reacts faster to trends than a human ever could, but without human review you’re prone to overspend and possible inaccuracies.

⚠️ Don’t forget, Google wants to spend your budget. If you’re predominantly using automated bidding, set budgets to avoid over spending ⚠️

🔥 Our recommended approach: Start with manual bidding, learn the ropes, then transition into automated bidding when you’ve got enough data.

Final takeaway: Smart bidding wins

Never forget that PPC success isn’t about who spends the most, it’s about who spends the smartest.

✅ Pick the right PPC platform

✅ Choose a bidding strategy that fits your goals

✅ Start small, test, and scale

✅ Optimize bids based on performance, not guesses

✅ Use automation wisely - leverage it, but don’t let it control your bidding completely