But I dont get billed on exactly 30 day cycles and it seems to vary quite a bit.
I think the seed for understanding the billing cycle is in the information you quoted, facher. Here's the key line, with some added emphasis on my part:
"We create an invoice for your advertising charges and bill your account every 30 days, OR after a certain amount of advertising charges (as determined by history in the program) accrues.
In other words, one is billed 30 days from the previous billing, or when a certain amount of clicks is accrued, whichever occurs first.
To go through the whole cycle, one is typically billed as follows:
* First billing will typically be thirty days after activation, or after $50.00 in clicks have accrued.
* The second billing will typically occur thirty days after the first billing, or, when $200.00 in clicks have accrued.
* Third billing will typically be thirty days after second billing, or, when $350.00 in clicks have accrued..
* Fourth billing typically occurs thirty days after third billing, or, when $500.00 in clicks have accrued.
* Once the $500.00 level has been reached, all successive billings will typically occur 30 days after the previous billing, or when $500.00 in clicks have been accrued.
I say "typically" because there can be factors that may impact this cycle. Here's an example of the most common:
Let's say you've been billed at the $150.00 level, and are now due to be billed when you accrue $200.00 in clicks. And let's say that the AdWords system then starts the billing process you when you've accrued $206.33 in clicks.
However, when the system goes to bill you, it notices that you were actually 'over-delivered' on your daily budget(s) by $25.00. You are credited with this amount just before the billing takes place, and the actual billing is therefore for $150.00.
Since you were not actually billed above $200.00, the system will then make your next billing at $200.00 rather than $350.00 as the schedule might seem to imply.
I hope that clears things up a bit. I do know it's different than an 'ordinary' 30 day cycle - but once it makes sense, it becomes second nature.
AWA
1/29/05 - $377.42
2/28/05 - $383.52
3/30/05 - $325.73
4/20/05 - $212.63
5/20/05 - $261.72
It seemed like the billing cycle was almost on the last day of the month but then between March and April it switched up? Once again, you guys are awesome, thanks for your help...
It seemed like the billing cycle was almost on the last day of the month but then between March and April it switched up? Once again, you guys are awesome, thanks for your help...
Sorry not to have gotten back to this sooner. I have been especially with my 'day job' of late, and sort of have to sneak time away to post. ;)
Anyway, facher, I'm pretty sure the timing of the shift you noticed coincides with some updates to our billing system. Unfortunately, though, I am too short of time just now to go back and research that.
Honestly, AdWords support can be very effective in answering questions involving your billing cycle - as they can actually look at the account and evaluate the many factors at work - such as changes to one's daily budget, Maximum CPC, number of keywords, number of Ad Groups, and so on.
AWA ,Google should introduce a prepay option so that the advertiser should be able to fund his account (unlimited without any ceiling) .
I wonder why google dont have this option yet, other business would love to charge the customer before the actual service is done!
Understood, gopi, and I think patience will be rewarded in this case, over time. Being involved in this myself, though only in a small way, I find that it's one of those things that is a far simpler to imagine, than to implement. ;)
AWA