PPC Statistics 2026: Cost per Click, CTR and Search Ad Spend
Search ads cost a median $5.42 per click across US industries in 2026, with a 6.64% click-through rate and a $66.69 cost per lead, according to WordStream by LocaliQ. Legal ads cost 6.1 times as much per click as arts and entertainment ads, calculated by StatisticsGlobal. Google Search & other revenue grew 12% to $63.35 billion in the third quarter of 2026 (Alphabet). Growth now comes mostly from more paid clicks, not higher prices. In the first half of 2026 Google paid clicks rose 13% and cost-per-click 4%.
Key statistics
- Search ads cost a median $5.42 per click across US industries in 2026, according to WordStream by LocaliQ.
- Search ads had a median click-through rate of 6.64% across US industries in 2026, according to WordStream by LocaliQ.
- Google Search & other revenue was $63.35 billion in the third quarter of 2026, according to Alphabet.
- Google paid click growth was 3.25 times cost-per-click growth in the first half of 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from Alphabet data.
- US search ad revenue reached $114.2 billion in 2025, according to IAB and PwC.
Average cost per click by industry
The median US search ad cost $5.42 per click in 2026. Legal, home improvement and dental ads cost the most. Arts, restaurants and travel ads cost the least.
Price per click depends on what a lead is worth. Legal services top the list at $9.87, 6.1 times the $1.63 paid by arts and entertainment advertisers. Home improvement ($8.33) and dental ($8.00) follow. In these services one new client can be worth a lot, so advertisers can afford to bid more.
The all-industry median of $5.42 is pulled up by a few expensive sectors. The middle industry of the 23 paid $4.44, and only 8 of 23 paid more than $5. A small business should compare itself with its own industry, not with the headline figure.
Prices moved in both directions in the year to March 2026. Real estate CPC rose 27.27%, the biggest rise. Education fell 22.79%, the biggest fall. WordStream does not publish an all-industry change on last year, so we cannot say whether the median CPC rose overall. For Google as a whole, Alphabet reports a 3% to 5% rise in cost-per-click in each quarter of 2026 so far (see below).
Source: WordStream by LocaliQ, 2026 Google Ads Benchmarks. Selected industries.
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Search ads cost a median $5.42 per click across US industries in 2026, according to WordStream by LocaliQ.
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Attorneys and legal services had the highest search ad cost per click, $9.87, in 2026, according to WordStream by LocaliQ.
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Home and home improvement search ads cost $8.33 per click in 2026, according to WordStream by LocaliQ.
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Dentists and dental services search ads cost $8.00 per click in 2026, according to WordStream by LocaliQ.
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Arts and entertainment had the lowest search ad cost per click, $1.63, in 2026, according to WordStream by LocaliQ.
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Legal search ads cost 6.1 times as much per click as arts and entertainment ads in 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from WordStream by LocaliQ data.
How we calculated it: $9.87 (attorneys and legal services) / $1.63 (arts and entertainment) median cost per click = 6.06, rounded to 6.1.
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8 of 23 US industries had a median search ad cost per click above $5 in 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from WordStream by LocaliQ data.
How we calculated it: Count of the 23 industry median CPCs above $5.00: legal $9.87, home $8.33, dental $8.00, personal services $7.17, health and fitness $6.17, business services $5.87, industrial $5.87, career $5.81.
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The middle US industry paid $4.44 per search ad click in 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from WordStream by LocaliQ data.
How we calculated it: Median of the 23 industry median CPCs published by WordStream (ranked from $1.63 to $9.87); the 12th value is apparel, fashion and jewellery at $4.44.
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Real estate search ad cost per click rose 27.27% year on year in 2026, the largest rise of any industry, according to WordStream by LocaliQ.
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Education and instruction search ad cost per click fell 22.79% year on year in 2026, the largest fall, according to WordStream by LocaliQ.
| Industry | Cost per click | Click-through rate | Conversion rate | Cost per lead | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Animals and pets | $4.06 | 7.49% | 16.22% | $31.50 | ||
| Apparel | fashion and jewellery | $4.44 | 6.64% | 4.50% | $97.51 | |
| Arts and entertainment | $1.63 | 12.75% | 5.91% | $26.84 | ||
| Attorneys and legal services | $9.87 | 5.87% | 5.55% | $131.63 | ||
| Automotive | for sale | $2.27 | 8.28% | 6.01% | $44.26 | |
| Automotive | repair | service and parts | $4.35 | 5.56% | 15.51% | $29.96 |
| Beauty and personal care | $4.62 | 6.75% | 10.35% | $39.25 | ||
| Business services | $5.87 | 6.10% | 4.85% | $93.69 | ||
| Career and employment | $5.81 | 5.88% | 3.05% | $67.36 | ||
| Dentists and dental services | $8.00 | 5.66% | 10.67% | $72.97 | ||
| Education and instruction | $4.81 | 7.56% | 13.14% | $77.48 | ||
| Finance and insurance | $3.39 | 9.83% | 2.64% | $74.44 | ||
| Furniture | $3.97 | 6.57% | 2.99% | $106.70 | ||
| Health and fitness | $6.17 | 5.81% | 6.94% | $67.36 | ||
| Home and home improvement | $8.33 | 6.47% | 8.05% | $90.92 | ||
| Industrial and commercial | $5.87 | 6.57% | 8.20% | $75.19 | ||
| Personal services | $7.17 | 7.16% | 12.34% | $54.60 | ||
| Physicians and surgeons | $4.76 | 6.61% | 12.43% | $40.04 | ||
| Real estate | $3.22 | 7.61% | 3.70% | $102.51 | ||
| Restaurants and food | $2.05 | 6.83% | 8.05% | $30.57 | ||
| Shopping | collectibles and gifts | $4.14 | 8.28% | 4.01% | $49.40 | |
| Sports and recreation | $2.77 | 8.75% | 7.69% | $44.26 | ||
| Travel | $2.14 | 9.32% | 5.83% | $44.70 | ||
| All industries | $5.42 | 6.64% | 8.18% | $66.69 |
Google Ads click-through rate and conversion benchmarks
The median US search ad was clicked by 6.64% of the people who saw it in 2026, and 8.18% of clicks became a lead or sale.
Click-through rate and conversion rate often pull in opposite directions. Arts and entertainment ads had the highest CTR, 12.75%, but converted only 5.91% of clicks. Animals and pets converted 16.22% of clicks, the best rate, with a CTR of 7.49%. Finance and insurance had a high 9.83% CTR and the lowest conversion rate, 2.64%.
Cost per lead brings price and conversion together. Legal ads cost $131.63 per lead, 4.9 times the $26.84 for arts and entertainment. Furniture and real estate also topped $100 per lead. They have middling click prices, but few clicks turn into leads.
WordStream says conversion rates rose in 87% of industries in this edition, and that changes were milder than in its two previous reports, which had shown rises of 12% in CPC and 25% in cost per lead. For click-through rates across channels, including Facebook ads and email, see our click-through rate benchmarks.
Source: WordStream by LocaliQ, 2026 Google Ads Benchmarks. Selected industries.
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Search ads had a median click-through rate of 6.64% across US industries in 2026, according to WordStream by LocaliQ.
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Arts and entertainment search ads had the highest click-through rate, 12.75%, in 2026, according to WordStream by LocaliQ.
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Automotive repair, service and parts search ads had the lowest click-through rate, 5.56%, in 2026, according to WordStream by LocaliQ.
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Search ads had a median conversion rate of 8.18% across US industries in 2026, according to WordStream by LocaliQ.
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Animals and pets search ads had the highest conversion rate, 16.22%, in 2026, according to WordStream by LocaliQ.
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Finance and insurance search ads had the lowest conversion rate, 2.64%, in 2026, according to WordStream by LocaliQ.
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Search ads had a median cost per lead of $66.69 across US industries in 2026, according to WordStream by LocaliQ.
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Attorneys and legal services had the highest search ad cost per lead, $131.63, in 2026, according to WordStream by LocaliQ.
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Arts and entertainment had the lowest search ad cost per lead, $26.84, in 2026, according to WordStream by LocaliQ.
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Legal search ads cost 4.9 times as much per lead as arts and entertainment ads in 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from WordStream by LocaliQ data.
How we calculated it: $131.63 (attorneys and legal services) / $26.84 (arts and entertainment) median cost per lead = 4.90.
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Travel search ad cost per lead fell 39.35% year on year in 2026, the largest fall of any industry, according to WordStream by LocaliQ.
| Metric | Biggest rise | Biggest fall |
|---|---|---|
| Click-through rate | Education and instruction +31.71% | Health and fitness -19.08% |
| Cost per click | Real estate +27.27% | Education and instruction -22.79% |
| Conversion rate | Beauty and personal care +32.34% | Career and employment -29.42% |
| Cost per lead | Automotive for sale +13.90% | Travel -39.35% |
Google search ad revenue growth
Google Search & other revenue grew 12% to $63.35 billion in the third quarter of 2026. Through 2026, more paid clicks, not higher prices, did most of the work.
Google search revenue is paid clicks multiplied by the average price per click. In 2024 and 2025 price did more of the work. Cost-per-click rose 7% in each year, about 14.5% over the two years combined, while paid clicks grew 5% and 6%. The two 2025 changes multiply to 13.4% growth, which matches the reported revenue growth.
That changed in 2026. Paid clicks rose 13% in both the first and second quarters, while cost-per-click rose 5% and then 3%. Over the first half, click growth was 3.25 times price growth. Alphabet says the growth came from more search queries, mainly on mobile, and more advertiser spending. Its Q3 2026 release says search query growth was the highest in five years.
Revenue growth peaked at 19.1% in the first quarter of 2026 and slowed to 12% in the third. Search & other made up 77.2% of Google advertising revenue in Q3 2026. Google Network, the ads Google places on other sites and apps, is shrinking. Its impressions fell 12% in Q2 2026. More data on Google's search business is on our Google search statistics page.
Source: Alphabet SEC filings.
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Google Search & other revenue was $63.35 billion in the third quarter of 2026, according to Alphabet.
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Google Search & other revenue grew 12% year on year in the third quarter of 2026, according to Alphabet.
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Google Search & other revenue was $224.53 billion in 2025, up from $198.08 billion in 2024, according to Alphabet.
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Google Search & other revenue grew 13.4% in 2025, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from Alphabet data.
How we calculated it: $224,532 million (2025) / $198,084 million (2024) - 1 = 13.35%, rounded to 13.4%.
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Google Search & other revenue grew 17.9% in the first half of 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from Alphabet data.
How we calculated it: $123,670 million (six months to 30 June 2026) / $104,892 million (six months to 30 June 2025) - 1 = 17.9%.
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Google Search & other revenue grew 16.8% year on year in the second quarter of 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from Alphabet data.
How we calculated it: $63,271 million (Q2 2026) / $54,190 million (Q2 2025) - 1 = 16.76%, rounded to 16.8%.
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Google Search & other revenue grew 19.1% year on year in the first quarter of 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from Alphabet data.
How we calculated it: $60,399 million (Q1 2026) / $50,702 million (Q1 2025) - 1 = 19.13%, rounded to 19.1%.
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Google Search & other revenue grew 14.5% year on year in the third quarter of 2025, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from Alphabet data.
How we calculated it: $56,567 million (Q3 2025) / $49,385 million (Q3 2024) - 1 = 14.54%, rounded to 14.5%.
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Google paid clicks rose 5% in 2024, according to Alphabet.
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Google cost-per-click rose 7% in 2024, according to Alphabet.
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Google paid clicks rose 6% in 2025, according to Alphabet.
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Google cost-per-click rose 7% in 2025, according to Alphabet.
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Google cost-per-click rose about 14.5% over 2024 and 2025 combined, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from Alphabet data.
How we calculated it: Compounded annual changes: 1.07 (2024) x 1.07 (2025) = 1.1449, a rise of about 14.5%. Alphabet rounds each annual change to whole per cent.
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Paid click and cost-per-click changes imply 13.4% Google Search revenue growth in 2025, matching reported growth, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from Alphabet data.
How we calculated it: 1.06 (paid clicks) x 1.07 (cost-per-click) = 1.1342, implied growth 13.4%. Reported Search & other revenue growth: $224,532m / $198,084m - 1 = 13.35%.
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Google paid clicks rose 7% year on year in the third quarter of 2025, according to Alphabet.
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Google cost-per-click rose 7% year on year in the third quarter of 2025, according to Alphabet.
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Google paid clicks rose 13% year on year in the first quarter of 2026, according to Alphabet.
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Google cost-per-click rose 5% year on year in the first quarter of 2026, according to Alphabet.
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Google paid clicks rose 13% year on year in the second quarter of 2026, according to Alphabet.
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Google cost-per-click rose 3% year on year in the second quarter of 2026, according to Alphabet.
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Google paid click growth was 3.25 times cost-per-click growth in the first half of 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from Alphabet data.
How we calculated it: Paid clicks +13% / cost-per-click +4%, six months to 30 June 2026 vs same period of 2025 = 3.25.
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Google Network ad impressions fell 12% year on year in the second quarter of 2026, according to Alphabet.
| Period | Search & other revenue | Revenue growth | Paid clicks | Cost-per-click |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $198.08bn | 13.2% | +5% | +7% |
| 2025 | $224.53bn | 13.4% | +6% | +7% |
| Q3 2025 | $56.57bn | 14.5% | +7% | +7% |
| Q1 2026 | $60.40bn | 19.1% | +13% | +5% |
| Q2 2026 | $63.27bn | 16.8% | +13% | +3% |
| Q3 2026 | $63.35bn | 12.0% | see note | see note |
Search advertising spend
Search is the largest single ad channel in both the US and the UK, at just under 39% of spend in each.
US search ad revenue reached $114.2 billion in 2025, according to IAB and PwC. Growth slowed to 11% from 15.9% in 2024. Search still took 38.8% of US internet ad revenue. Our digital advertising statistics page covers the other formats.
UK advertisers put £17.88 billion into search in 2025, up 5.8%, according to the Advertising Association and WARC. Search took 38.3% of all UK ad investment, more than any other channel. In April 2026 AA/WARC expected UK search spend to grow 7.3% in 2026, to about £19.18 billion on our calculation.
The two shares are close, but they are not like for like. The UK figure is a share of all media, including TV and print. The US figure is a share of internet advertising only, so search's share of all US media would be lower.
Microsoft's search business is far smaller than Google's. Its search advertising revenue was $15.18 billion in the year to June 2026, up 9%, or 12% after traffic acquisition costs. That is 23.3% more than two years earlier. Microsoft's year ends in June, so it does not line up exactly with Google's calendar year.
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US search ad revenue reached $114.2 billion in 2025, according to IAB and PwC.
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US search ad revenue grew 11% in 2025, down from 15.9% growth in 2024, according to IAB and PwC.
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UK search advertising investment was £17.88 billion in 2025, according to the Advertising Association and WARC.
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UK search advertising investment grew 5.8% in 2025, according to the Advertising Association and WARC.
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UK search advertising investment was forecast to grow 7.3% in 2026, according to the Advertising Association and WARC in April 2026.
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UK search advertising investment would reach about £19.18 billion in 2026 on the April forecast, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from Advertising Association and WARC data.
How we calculated it: £17,876.1 million (2025) x 1.073 (forecast 2026 growth) = £19,181 million.
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Microsoft search advertising revenue was $15.18 billion in fiscal year 2026, according to Microsoft.
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Microsoft search advertising revenue grew 9% in fiscal year 2026, according to Microsoft.
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Microsoft search advertising revenue excluding traffic acquisition costs grew 12% in fiscal year 2026, according to Microsoft.
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Microsoft search advertising revenue grew 23.3% over the two fiscal years to 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from Microsoft data.
How we calculated it: $15,176 million (fiscal year to 30 June 2026) / $12,306 million (fiscal year to 30 June 2024) - 1 = 23.3%.
| Market | Period | Search ad revenue or spend | Growth | Share of ad spend | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States (IAB/PwC) | 2025 | $114.2bn | 11% | 38.8% | |
| United Kingdom (AA/WARC) | 2025 | £17.88bn | 5.8% | 38.3% | |
| Google Search & other | worldwide | 2025 | $224.53bn | 13.4% | not applicable |
| Microsoft search advertising | worldwide | Year to June 2026 | $15.18bn | 9% | not applicable |
Paid search vs organic search statistics
Paid search ads draw several times the click-through rate of organic results. AI Overviews cut both, but paid CTR on AI Overview queries recovered through 2025.
On Seer Interactive's client data, paid ads drew a 21.85% click-through rate on Google queries without an AI Overview in February 2026. Organic results drew 3.82%, so paid ads drew 5.7 times the organic rate. Seer measures its clients' tracked queries, not whole ad accounts, so these rates cannot be compared with the 6.64% median in WordStream's data.
AI Overviews lower paid CTR. In February 2026 paid CTR was 26% lower on queries with an AI Overview. But the gap is closing. Paid CTR on AI Overview queries rose 2.87 points in a year, from 13.34% to 16.21%, while organic CTR on those queries fell from 3.56% to 2.36%.
Being cited in the AI Overview seems to help ads too. In December 2025, brands cited in the overview had a 17.43% paid CTR, 67% higher than the 10.42% for brands not cited. Seer warns this is not proof of cause, because stronger brands are more likely to be cited.
- No AI Overview
- AI Overview shown
Source: Seer Interactive, AIO Impact on Google CTR: 2026 Update.
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Paid search ads had a 21.85% click-through rate on Google queries without an AI Overview in February 2026, according to Seer Interactive.
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Paid search ads had a 16.21% click-through rate on Google queries with an AI Overview in February 2026, according to Seer Interactive.
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Paid click-through rate was 26% lower on Google queries with an AI Overview in February 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from Seer Interactive data.
How we calculated it: 1 - (16.21% paid CTR with AI Overview / 21.85% without) = 25.8%, rounded to 26%.
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Organic results had a 3.82% click-through rate on Google queries without an AI Overview in February 2026, according to Seer Interactive.
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Organic results had a 2.36% click-through rate on Google queries with an AI Overview in February 2026, according to Seer Interactive.
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Paid ads drew 5.7 times the organic click-through rate on Google queries without an AI Overview in February 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from Seer Interactive data.
How we calculated it: 21.85% paid CTR / 3.82% organic CTR, queries without an AI Overview, February 2026 = 5.72.
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Paid click-through rate on Google queries with an AI Overview rose 2.87 points between February 2025 and February 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from Seer Interactive data.
How we calculated it: 16.21% (February 2026) - 13.34% (February 2025), paid CTR on queries where an AI Overview was shown.
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Brands cited in an AI Overview had a 17.43% paid click-through rate in December 2025, against 10.42% for brands not cited, according to Seer Interactive.
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Brands cited in an AI Overview had a 67% higher paid click-through rate than uncited brands in December 2025, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from Seer Interactive data.
How we calculated it: 17.43% (brand cited) / 10.42% (brand not cited) - 1 = 67.3%, paid CTR on AI Overview queries, December 2025.
| Month | Paid, no AI Overview | Paid, AI Overview shown | Organic, no AI Overview | Organic, AI Overview shown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 2025 | 23.23% | 13.34% | 3.15% | 3.56% |
| May 2025 | 18.67% | 13.63% | 3.03% | 2.35% |
| Aug 2025 | 19.04% | 14.98% | 2.70% | 1.77% |
| Nov 2025 | 18.60% | 15.32% | 2.45% | 1.33% |
| Feb 2026 | 21.85% | 16.21% | 3.82% | 2.36% |
How these sources measure PPC
Each source counts something different. Treat company filings as the most reliable and vendor benchmarks as a guide.
Alphabet and Microsoft figures come from filings with the US SEC. Alphabet gives revenue in dollars but gives paid clicks and cost-per-click only as rounded percentage changes. Its paid clicks include ads on Gmail, Maps and Play as well as Search. Microsoft's search advertising line covers Bing, Copilot, Microsoft News, Edge and partner sites, and its fiscal year ends in June.
IAB and PwC add up US internet ad revenue reported by the companies that sell it. PwC does not audit the figures. AA/WARC survey UK media owners. Both count money spent by advertisers in one country, so they cannot be compared directly with Alphabet's worldwide revenue.
WordStream by LocaliQ benchmarks come from 13,474 US search campaigns run by its own clients on Google Ads and Microsoft Ads. The averages are medians. Large advertisers and other countries are not represented. The page shows a single figure per industry and no ranges.
Seer Interactive tracks 53 of its own client brands. It reports click-through rate as total clicks over total impressions, and it only uses queries with complete data in every month. Its sample is small and not random. We have not found an independent public source of CPC by industry, so the industry figures on this page should be read as one vendor's view.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average cost per click for Google Ads?
Search ads cost a median $5.42 per click across US industries in the year to March 2026, according to WordStream by LocaliQ. Legal ads cost the most, $9.87, and arts and entertainment the least, $1.63.
Are Google Ads getting more expensive than last year?
Yes, but slowly. Alphabet reported that Google cost-per-click rose 5% in Q1 2026 and 3% in Q2 2026, year on year, after rising 7% in both 2024 and 2025. Paid clicks grew faster, by 13% in each quarter.
What is a good click-through rate for search ads?
The median US search ad had a 6.64% click-through rate in 2026, according to WordStream by LocaliQ. It ranged from 5.56% for automotive repair to 12.75% for arts and entertainment.
How much is spent on search advertising?
US search ad revenue was $114.2 billion in 2025 (IAB and PwC), and UK search investment was £17.88 billion (AA/WARC). Google Search & other revenue worldwide was $224.53 billion in 2025 (Alphabet).
Why is Google search ad revenue still growing?
Mainly more paid clicks. In the first half of 2026 Google paid clicks rose 13% and cost-per-click 4%. Alphabet links the growth to rising search queries, mainly on mobile, and more advertiser spending.
Is search ad spend forecast to keep growing?
In April 2026 the Advertising Association and WARC forecast 7.3% growth in UK search spend for 2026. In the US, IAB and PwC reported that search growth slowed to 11% in 2025 from 15.9% in 2024.
Sources
- WordStream by LocaliQ, 2026 Google Ads Benchmarks, 2026, accessed 30 October 2026. Link · Saved data copy
- Alphabet, Alphabet Announces Third Quarter 2026 Results (Form 8-K, Exhibit 99.1), 28 October 2026, accessed 30 October 2026. Link · Saved data copy
- Alphabet, Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, 23 July 2026, accessed 30 October 2026. Link · Saved data copy
- IAB and PwC, Digital Ad Revenue Climbs to Nearly $300B as IAB Celebrates 30 Year Anniversary (IAB/PwC Internet Advertising Revenue Report: Full Year 2025), 16 April 2026, accessed 30 October 2026. Link · Saved data copy
- Alphabet, Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, 5 February 2026, accessed 30 October 2026. Link · Saved data copy
- Alphabet, Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2026, 30 April 2026, accessed 30 October 2026. Link · Saved data copy
- Alphabet, Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2025, 30 October 2025, accessed 30 October 2026. Link · Saved data copy
- Alphabet, Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, 5 February 2025, accessed 30 October 2026. Link · Saved data copy
- Advertising Association and WARC, AA/WARC updates Advertising Expenditure Report to capture evolving UK media landscape and records £46.7bn media investment in 2025, 30 April 2026, accessed 30 October 2026. Link · Saved data copy
- Microsoft, Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2026, 29 July 2026, accessed 30 October 2026. Link · Saved data copy
- Seer Interactive, AIO Impact on Google CTR: 2026 Update, 24 April 2026, accessed 30 October 2026. Link · Saved data copy
Changes to this page
- : Page published with data to the third quarter of 2026.