A Bidding Goal tells PPCmate what a result is worth to you. Every bid is then priced by what the placement is likely to deliver, rather than by a flat number you set once.
You'll find it in the campaign wizard on the Goal & risk step.
The options
- None — classic manual bidding. You set the bid; it stays where you put it. This is the default.
- CPC — you name what you're willing to pay for a click, and bids are priced toward it.
- CPA — you name what you're willing to pay for a conversion, and bids are priced toward it. This one needs conversion tracking wired up, or there is no acquisition to price against.
A goal is not a bid
This is the part worth understanding. A goal is a target you are steering toward, not a hard ceiling on any single bid. Some placements will be bid above your goal because they're worth it; others below. What the goal governs is the average you're steering toward across the campaign.
Which should I use?
- Just launched, no conversion data → start with None at the minimum bid and let data accumulate.
- Tracking clicks only → CPC.
- Tracking conversions and want the system to chase them → CPA, and consider AI Optimization alongside it.
Sep 7, 2026