Google Ads will phase out the option to use enhanced cost-per-click (eCPC) for new Search and Display campaigns starting in October.
Key dates:
- October: eCPC option removed for new campaigns.
- March 2025: All remaining eCPC campaigns transitioned to Manual CPC.
Why we care. ECPC is the most light touch of automated bid strategies, so it allowed you to dip your toe into automated bidding without giving Google full control by just working toward a conversion target. Google is taking that away. If you haven’t started testing which fully automated bid strategies work for your campaigns, now is the time. This change will impact how you manage your Search and Display campaigns.
Options. Google introduced enhanced CPC in 2010 as a Smart Bidding strategy to optimize bids based on conversion likelihood. However, newer machine learning options like Maximize conversions (with optional target CPA) and Maximize conversion value (with optional target ROAS) offer more automated tools to improve performance.
First seen. Anthony Higman shared the email he received from Google about this update on X.
Zoom out. The shift to more advanced automated bidding strategies signals Google’s push toward greater reliance on machine learning and possible introduction of more automated bidding strategies.
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About the author
Anu Adegbola has been Paid Media Editor of Search Engine Land since 2024. She covers paid search, paid social, retail media, video and more.
In 2008, Anu’s career started with
delivering digital marketing campaigns (mostly but not exclusively Paid Search) by building strategies, maximising ROI, automating repetitive processes and bringing efficiency from every part of marketing departments through inspiring leadership both on agency, client and marketing tech side.
Outside editing Search Engine Land article she is the founder of PPC networking event – PPC Live, host of weekly podcast PPCChat Roundup, and brand evangelist at ClickTech.
She is also an international speaker with some of the stages she has presented on being SMX (US), SMX (Munich), Friends of Search (Amsterdam), brightonSEO, The Marketing Meetup, HeroConf (PPC Hero), SearchLove, BiddableWorld, SESLondon, PPC Chat Live, AdWorld Experience (Bologna) and more.