Is your average CPC higher than your max CPC?

Here's one reason why.

[Shepherd]

For ads on search (not display)

Been beating my head against a wall trying to figure out why we have some keywords with an average CPC higher than the set max CPC.
Checked all the bid adjustments, nothing. Checked the rules timing, maybe some clicks before rules changed the bid, nothing.
No enhanced CPC enabled.
Paying for clicks, not conversions.

And then, digging into it more I found this little tidbit regarding search partners network:

Google search partners are sites in the Search Network that partner with Google to show ads on their search results. To help you get a similar cost per conversion as you get on the Search network, some clicks on the Search partner network may cost more or less than your Google Search Max. CPC bid. Search partner performance won't impact your Search Quality Score.

Come on google...

[Shepherd]

The more I dig into this, the more upset I get. This is so deceptive of google.
They hide this notice in a tiny ? mouse-over popup and give you no way to restrict or control this inflated CPC setting other than an obscure opt out (completely) of the search partner network.
Don't have all the numbers yet but it looks like so far this month about 60% of our spend this month has been on these inflated clicks. And when I say inflated, on the extreme end we have a keyword set to $0.27 CPC and the average CPC has been $4.67, and almost all clicks for the keyword have been from the search partner network.

[Mark_A]

From my start with G Ads, I disabled ads on other than G search only.

I decided they were too unpredictable.

[RhinoFish]

Does not sound right to me.

What is the Bid Strategy Type for this campaign?

[Shepherd]

Manual CPC, pay for clicks, no enhanced CPC, no bid adjustments, no audiences, no re-targeting.

Removed search partner network, no more discrepancies.

Also, to view differences, one can: segment < network (with search partners)

[RhinoFish]

"And when I say inflated, on the extreme end we have a keyword set to $0.27 CPC and the average CPC has been $4.67, and almost all clicks for the keyword have been from the search partner network." (and your latest answer directly above)
I believe you, but this is wildly different from any data I've seen (and I've seen a LOT of data):
I think something is not operating correctly. or reporting correctly.
Call Google Ads support, and open a case please.

(we use bid mods almost all the time, so it wouldn't be unusual for us to see some occasional Avg CPCs exceeding Bid, but only if the data set is very small AND the offsets or other bid factors came into play. but your case, is whacko, suggest you open a ticket.)

[Shepherd]

To be fair, I've never seen it to this extreme before and I've been using google ads since it was Overture (snarky shot there).
Maybe it's a reporting error, maybe it's something "new", or maybe just a fail. Don't know for sure but, as far as i can tell one has the option of including the search partner network or not. If included, you get what you get without much (any?) control. As noted by google: "...some clicks on the Search partner network may cost more or less than your Google Search Max. CPC bid."

[RhinoFish]

I started with GoTo, which later became Overture. :-)

Their disclaimers, as usual, lack specificity, so let's agree that they therefore suck as nearly useless. :-)

And, again, your case, imo, is way out of the normal realm, so I think it needs an explanation, to you, from Google.

:-)

[naazaniqua]

Because of your time range. The avg CPC is for the whole period in consideration. CPC is a cost per click done by the customers.

[Stealthkit]

Yes, google has become more deceptive then has been.