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The Hidden Cost of a Click on Google Ads
Description
Lucas and Luna kick off The Google Ads Podcast by zooming in on one number: the average cost-per-click on Google Search Ads in Q1 2026 hit $5.42. That single figure, up over 12% year-over-year, becomes the launching pad for a wide-ranging conversation about what has changed in paid search. Lucas unpacks the structural forces — auction competition, AI-powered bidding, and the shift to Performance Max — that are quietly squeezing advertisers who rely on old-school keyword strategies. Luna pushes back with real-world examples from small e-commerce clients she has consulted for, forcing Lucas to admit that the data hides huge variation by vertical and campaign type. Together they explore whether Google's new AI agents are helping optimize spend or just inflating the auction floor. The episode sets the show's ongoing agenda: no hype, no beginner tutorials, just two paid search pros working through the actual decisions and trade-offs advertisers face right now, backed by real numbers and honest skepticism.