Is price change always an auction result?

Price changes are not always a direct result of an auction. While Google can modify the auction's mechanics, causing prices to fluctuate up or down, it cannot enforce that prices only increase[1][2]. For example, variances in marketing strategies, such as shifts toward mobile advertising, can lead to decreased costs per click for companies like The Home Depot, indicating that auction outcomes do not uniformly yield price increases[4].

Additionally, the results of an auction can be influenced by various factors, and the amount invested by advertisers often reflects the effectiveness of ad outcomes rather than strictly the auction dynamics[3]. Thus, price changes are subject to multiple influences beyond just auction results.