Google just dropped a potential game-changing update for Demand Gen campaigns: Target CPC bidding. If you’ve been itching for more granular control, this is the one you’ve been begging for. Demand Gen used to be a fully hands-off affair, but with Target CPC, you can now fine-tune traffic volume and cost per click like a boss. This shift brings predictability to your top-of-funnel campaigns, so you’re not just spilling budget into the void.

What’s Happening?

• Target CPC bidding is now available in beta for Demand Gen campaigns, check your account.
  
• You can set your desired CPC target at the campaign or ad group level, finally adding manual control.
  
• Google’s AI continues to optimize bids in real time based on user intent, device, location, and audience signals, but now within your cost goals.
  
• This feature only applies to click-optimized campaigns, not conversion or ROAS-based ones.
  
• It’s clearly a stepping stone, Google is tweaking things, but it’s a solid shift away from autopilot-only strategies.

Why It Matters

If you’re focused on driving traffic, brand awareness, or re-engaging idle audiences, Target CPC changes everything. Before, Demand Gen was conversion-obsessed, which wasn’t ideal for upper-funnel goals. Now, you can:

• Control average CPC for more predictable spends.
  
• Support campaigns where conversions aren’t the metric of success.
  
• Adjust CPCs depending on funnel stage, bid lower for new audiences, higher for remarketing.
  
• Balance automation with precision, think Smart Bidding 2.0 with more levers to pull.

This gives you scoped expansion without sacrificing efficiency. You can test new audiences, guard costs, and let Google’s AI do the heavy lifting, but under your terms.

What To Do Next

Before you overhaul your setup, test smart and stay measured:

• Check your Demand Gen campaign settings: see if Target CPC is visible.
  
• Run a pilot: in one or two traffic-focused campaigns. Compare CPC, site engagement, and bounce behavior over a couple of weeks.
  
• Segment ad groups by funnel stage: applying cheaper CPC targets for prospecting and higher ones for remarketing.
  
• Track beyond CPC: bounce rates, time-on-site, pages visited; quality matters as much as cost.

This isn’t about abandoning conversion optimization, it’s about flexible budgeting when volume is the goal. Use Target CPC where it makes sense, track results, and scale intelligently.

Demand Gen just got a serious upgrade. Target CPC gives you a seat at the table with Google’s auctions, but keeps budget discipline. The feature is new, but first-mover advantage is real. 

If you want help setting up your Target CPC tests, analyzing performance, or building a full-funnel Demand Gen strategy, reach out. We’re already rolling this out across client accounts and can fast-track your advantage.