Max CPC on keywords with no Comp

No competition means what for Max CPC?

[apacheMan]

We just setup campaigns for certain keywords that have no competition. If I search these particular keywords in Google, there are no sponsored listings ever shown, however, 40-50 people approx search these terms per day.

I set up campaigns to target these keywords and set my Max CPC to 0.04, but I never see my own ads. I am seeing however in my reports that they are indeed having impressions... but not that many.

So my question is...

Does setting my Max CPC to something very low like 4 cents prevent my ads from showing up all the time? I mean, there is no other competition for these keywords, so what would prevent me from setting Max CPC to 1 cent? I should be showing up everytime? Right?

Thanks for any help.

[awardmasters]

Hover over the QS icon for your keyword and see if it says your ad is showing. Many long tail keywords are not activated in G's algo due to low search volume. If that is the case, the QS message will tell you.

[MadeWillis]

also, be sure you are using www.google.com/adpreview to check your listings.

[apacheMan]

Thanks guys... they are all saying the "Ads Are Showing"... and I see them in my Ad Preview.. but when I do searches in Google.com they do not appear. Actually... one appeared just once.

Do you think it's because my Max CPC is too low? If someone runs an ad with Max CPC at 0.01 on a keyword with little to no competition, does that ad always show?

[netmeg]

Raise your Max CPC by a penny at a time until you see the ads. Then lower it by one penny.

I myself never use a max cpc less than five cents, and I'm still paying 1, 2 or 3 cents for a lot of ads at that rate.

[apacheMan]

So should I definitely be seeing my ads all the time? I mean, I loaded my account with a MASSIVE budget and am testing the waters with low CPC ads, but am yet to really see any of my own on search results that are low competition.

[MadeWillis]

I've seen the same thing before. Sometimes the ad shows, sometimes it does not. I'm typically bidding $.10-$.15 when I see this and usually 2-3 advertisers. Google also displays ads in different positions in different geographic locations based on click history. That may play some part in this. The fact that the search volume for your key terms is probably very low may also play a part.

If you like, PM me with one of your keywords and I'll tell you if I can see your ads.