What Is The Average CPC In Google Ads

The average Cost Per Click (CPC) in Google Ads helps you to see how much you’re paying on average for your account, campaigns, keywords, ads and search terms. You can see this in your reports and also compare with the industry average to see how your account is performing.

 

To get a good indication of what the average CPC is among competitors and your industry, use a platform like SERanking to carry out some research. It has a competitor tool that helps you see what keywords and search terms your competitors are bidding on and how much they pay on average for each click.

 

 

And this helps you to select the keywords to bid on and the budget amount that you’ll set.

 

I’ve included below some guidance on what the average CPC is for different industries, sectors, keywords and campaign types and hopefully this should help you set the right budgets and manage your campaigns effectively.

 

Industry Type

 

The average Cost Per Click (CPC) in Google Ads varies from industry to industry. Some industries and businesses experience very high CPCs while some pay pennies to drive clicks and conversions to their websites and businesses.

 

The finance industries usually have higher costs due to the competitive nature of this space. There are many advertisers vying for the same space and to get noticed. For example, keywords related to ‘bridging loans’ can average about £15 per click for Search campaigns.

 

On the other hand, online retailers of custom products like gifts or candles could pay as little as 6p per click for Shopping ads. This is because there is less competition especially for custom products that do not have direct competitors. Using a competitor research tool as mentioned above will help you to see how much is being paid in your industry on average.

 

Sector Type

 

Whether you’re in the B2B or B2C sectors or are a non-profit, advertising in Google Ads is an effective way to promote your products or services. As people search you can target them with ads and keywords that relate to your products or services.

 

B2B businesses usually have fewer keyword searches than B2C and so the average CPCs are usually higher because of competition chasing the same keywords. For example, local accountants targeting small to medium businesses will often pay over £3 per click to drive visitors.

 

But for B2C the range of keywords and search terms is usually much wider especially for ecommerce sites and retailers and average CPCs can be below 50p per click. And they can be even much lower for Shopping ads where there is usually less competition than Search ads.

 

But this will differ widely at times and from business to business. So, carrying out some keyword research and competitor research will help you understand what you’re likely to pay.

 

Campaign Type

 

The average CPC in Google Ads also varies from one campaign type to another. There are several campaign types in your account and these include Search, Display, Video, App, Local and Performance Max

 

Paying 1p per click is also possible with Remarketing campaigns in less competitive industries. This is common with businesses that are in the Internet of Things (IoT) industries and want to retarget people to download a white paper or book a free demo.

 

Also, campaigns that focus on brand awareness and raising awareness like Display and Video campaigns, have very low average CPC costs in Google Ads. Because these campaigns are not focused on people who are searching, there tends to be less competition in the areas that they advertise in.

 

Keyword Type

 

There are many different types of keywords. These include transactional, informational, brand, navigational, long tail, short tail and more. So, the type of keywords you select will determine the average Google Ads CPC rates.

 

Transactional keywords for both products and services are more competitive and so will be more expensive. There will be many advertisers bidding on them.

 

Informational searches are usually a lot less competitive and so you’ll pay less, but you’ll also see a low count in conversions. So your return on ad spend will be low.

 

Conclusion

 

So, as shown here, the average Google Ads CPC depends on many factors including the campaign type, industry type, sector type and keywords. Using some research tools, you can see what you’re likely to pay in your campaigns as you create and launch them.

 

Get in Touch

 

I’m a Google Ads specialist and I work with marketers, business owners and entrepreneurs that are looking to promote their products and services in Google Ads. If you’re looking for help to setup your campaign or need help with CPC costs, please use the form below to contact me.