Google Ads to deprecate enhanced CPC for search and display ads

Google Ads will phase out the option to use enhanced cost-per-click (eCPC) for new Search and Display campaigns 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 a light touch of automated bid strategies, allowing 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.

Dig deeper: US vs. Google, round 2: Government targets digital ad business

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 the possible introduction of more automated bidding strategies.