i dont think you can have a minimum bid (dont know why you would want one) just set your max bid and google will take it from there and will outbid everyone with a lower max bid.
Since they removed it from the regular online interface, no you are screwed. For a while you could still see it in adwords editor, and it just worked for me, but I accepted the update. Now, even in Adwords Editor it has been replaced by first page bid. Useless information that only serves Google. I hate this change.
There is no longer a minimum bid in adwords so not much point in seeing something with that name really. Yes and no. Generally, for keywords with reasonable QS and plenty of competition, the 1st Page Bid Estimate does appear "useless" and inaccurate most of the time (although, it is improving - slowly!) However, for low QS words without much competition, e.g. only 3 or 4 advertisers, then the 1st page bid appears to act like a minimum bid, i.e. your ad will not get shown unless you meet the estimate (This may be the case for any low QS keyword but the situation described is the only one I have experience of.)
Google still has a minimum bid, seperate from the first page minimum bid. They just won't reveal it anymore. Like you say bjewelled, it may sometimes be the same as the first page bid. I'm certain of this because when I posted this yesterday, I opened up adwords editor to see if it was still there. For a while it was (even after the change). I downloaded my campaigns freshly, and I saw the minimum CPC there. Then updated adwords editor, and it changed to minimum first page bid. If you refuse to update adwords editor or know how to get rid of the update, then you can still see the information. I have a laptop which isn't updated, and I can still see it there.
Same with me, I like seeing the minimum for keywords so I know what the limits are. Im not sure why Google would remove that. Im not a fan what so ever of the "first page bid"
Strictly speaking no, they do not. They do have a minimum bid requirement for each keyword auction that is calculated afresh each time a search is made and, if your keyword does not meet it your ad will not show; however, the calculation is dynamic, based on a number of different factors, which effectively means your "minimum" bid changes from query to query and publishing it would be meaningless - it could be 0.02 for one query and 0.05 for the next, say - even less use than the 1st Page Estimate! There is no longer a "minimum bid" threshold that will stop your ad showing as in the past.
OK, you get points for pointing out that it's supposed to be dynamic, but this last part contradicts yourself. The threshold is still there even if it's dynamic. Additionally, it would be highly useful information for many IMers. Much of the time, even the dynamic calculation will fall within a given range which could be observed and planned for with scheduling. The argument that it being dynamic should justify it's removal fails when you realize that the first page bid minimum is dynamic also. Personally, I am not sure I believe that the minimum CPC (threshold for being displayed at all) is dynamic, even if it is supposed to be. I think that it will be a fairly stable value most of the time for most keywords. This whole thing is just a way to put a button "increase bids to minimum first page bid" which will cause NOOB Adwords users to make a much higher bid than the old "increase to minimum CPC" would have done. That's all this is about. Personally, I don't worry about ad position. I only worry about ROI. I have a target ROI, and adjust my bids to match it.
Accepted. All I meant was that there is no longer a set figure which switches your ads on or off as in the past. I also accept that in reality the dynamic figure is likely to be fairly stable. Sadly, true and not just for newbies; I think many advertisers have unthinkingly and unnecessarily chased the 1st page estimate. That is certainly how it seemed to effect the market when first introduced but we may be doing G a disservice since it has become a lot more reliable since (probably wrong only about 50% of the time, now!) I guess this is the bit I do not get but then I am competing with hundreds of advertisers for most of my keywords - worrying about how much I need to bid to appear on page 50+ is the last thing on my mind!
Well, it's for the people with a different set of priorities. If you say only had $10 to spend, and wanted the absolute highest ROI, you would want the absolute minimum bid. Increasing the amount of adgroups and campaigns until you are spending the fixed amount available. I didn't use CPC either, but I found it relevent, and I sometimes paid attention to it. I've had mediocre campaigns that I lowered my bid in an effort to get ROI where I wanted it and wound up being below minimum CPC for some keywords. That's just a failed campaign. I would still never have hit the button to raise all my bids to the minimum. Invariably there were always keywords with high minimums which wouldn't be cost effective for me.