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Broad CPC data. when to use it

Tested: No Author: Gemini Flash 2.5 Category: Keyword Research Created time: June 12, 2025 1:32 PM Source: AI

im currenty buildong keyword research google sheet.

if i have Total monthly clocks and organics montly click on the column. should i put broad cpc data?

Based on the data you provided from the spreadsheet, "Total Monthly Clicks" and "Organic Clicks Percent" are metrics under "Click Analysis" which has a high rank (9/10) for keyword research. "Broad Cost Per Click" (CPC) is under the "CPC (Cost Per Click)" category, which has a lower overall rank (7/10).

While CPC data can be useful for understanding commercial intent and potential ad costs, it's not as directly relevant to organic keyword research as "Total Monthly Clicks" and "Organic Clicks Percent."

Therefore, if you are primarily focused on building a keyword research Google Sheet for organic SEO, you might consider prioritizing "Total Monthly Clicks" and "Organic Clicks Percent" as they directly relate to the organic traffic potential of a keyword. You could include "Broad Cost Per Click" if you also plan to incorporate paid search considerations into your sheet, but it's not strictly necessary for a purely organic keyword research focus.

Ultimately, the decision depends on the specific goals and scope of your keyword research sheet.

elaborate why ? and pro and cons and your final verdict.

You're asking for a deeper dive into why "Broad Cost Per Click (CPC)" data might or might not be included in a keyword research Google Sheet, especially when your focus is organic SEO and you already have "Total Monthly Clicks" and "Organic Clicks Percent." Let's break it down:

Why "Broad Cost Per Click" (CPC) is different from "Total Monthly Clicks" and "Organic Clicks Percent"​

  • Total Monthly Clicks: This metric tells you the overall market demand for a keyword, including both organic and paid clicks. It gives you a sense of the absolute traffic potential if you rank well.
  • Organic Clicks Percent: This metric is crucial for organic SEO as it indicates the proportion of searches that result in an organic click. A high percentage here means users are more likely to click on an organic result rather than an ad or a SERP feature, which is a strong positive for your SEO efforts.
  • Broad Cost Per Click (CPC): This metric is primarily associated with paid advertising (PPC). It tells you how much advertisers are willing to pay, on average, for a click on an ad for that keyword using a "broad match" strategy.

Pros and Cons of Including Broad CPC Data in Your Organic Keyword Research Sheet​

Pros of Including Broad CPC Data:

  1. Indication of Commercial Intent: A high CPC generally suggests that a keyword has high commercial intent. Businesses are willing to pay more for clicks if those clicks are likely to lead to conversions (sales, leads, etc.). Even for organic SEO, understanding this commercial intent can be valuable. If a keyword has high commercial intent and you rank organically, you could attract highly valuable visitors.
  2. Monetization Opportunities: If you plan to monetize your website through advertising (e.g., Google AdSense), knowing the CPC can give you an idea of the potential revenue per click for that keyword.
  3. Competitive Landscape (Indirectly): High CPC often indicates a competitive landscape not just in paid search but also potentially in organic search, as businesses are aggressively targeting those keywords.
  4. Content Prioritization: You might choose to prioritize creating content around high-CPC keywords, even for organic purposes, because the potential return on investment (from organic conversions) could be higher.

Cons of Including Broad CPC Data (when focused on Organic SEO):

  1. Less Direct Relevance to Organic Ranking: CPC directly measures advertising costs, not how easy or difficult it is to rank organically, or the actual organic traffic potential (which is better represented by "Organic Clicks Percent" and "Search Volume").
  2. Clutter and Complexity: Including data points that are not directly relevant to your primary goal (organic SEO) can add unnecessary clutter and complexity to your spreadsheet, potentially making it harder to focus on the most important organic metrics.
  3. Misleading Prioritization: Over-emphasizing CPC might lead you to prioritize keywords that are highly competitive in paid search, which may not always be the best strategic move for organic SEO, especially if your domain authority is low.
  4. Dynamic Nature: CPC can fluctuate more frequently than organic metrics due to bidding wars and ad market changes, potentially making it a less stable metric to track for long-term organic strategy.

Final Verdict​

Given your current focus on building a keyword research Google Sheet with "Total Monthly Clicks" and "Organic Clicks Percent" for organic SEO, my final verdict is:

You are not strictly required to include "Broad CPC data" for a purely organic keyword research sheet, but it can be a valuable supplementary metric.

  • If your sheet is purely for identifying organic ranking opportunities and content ideas, you can omit it and focus on metrics like Search Volume, Ranking Difficulty, Total Monthly Clicks, and Organic Clicks Percent. These metrics provide a more direct picture of organic potential.
  • However, if you want a more holistic view that also considers the commercial value and competitive landscape (even for organic), then including Broad CPC can be beneficial. It adds a layer of business intelligence that can help you prioritize keywords that not only bring traffic but also have higher conversion potential.

Recommendation: Consider your overall goals for the sheet. If you have the space and want a comprehensive view, include it. If you prefer to keep it streamlined and focused solely on organic performance, it's safe to exclude it without losing critical organic SEO insights.