Google runs millions and millions of advertisements each day through its AdWords PPC platform
In fact, AdWords itself has become so popular that there is now an entire industry of companies dedicated to managing the PPC campaigns of other companies. The reason it’s so popular is because it’s so lucrative. Most keywords cost only a couple cents per click, which means they have huge ROI potential.
But even with the millions and millions of keywords at Google’s disposal, there are bound to be a few that cost a bundle. This infographic from WebpageFX, compiled with data from SEMrush, looks at that handful of really expensive keywords to see which ones cost the most money per click. Some of them are about what you’d expect (attorneys, lawyers, etc.) — and some of them are way out of left field (Babson College online MBA). Take a look at the Infographic below to see the other terms that make up…
Google’s Most Expensive Keywords
One of the first things you’ll notice about this list is that all of the keywords are longtail. These highly-targeted terms are intended to drive conversions, not necessarily traffic. Usually shorter and more general terms cost more money for PPC campaigns — but not here!
[See related post: How Long-Tail Keywords Could Be The Key To Your Ranking Success]
You’ll also notice that over half of the keywords here include some mention of a location, whether it’s a city or a state. The reason for that is most likely because lots of small businesses in one area compete for the same keywords all the time, and their attempts to out-bid their competition drive the prices of those keywords through the roof.
It’s a similar concept to compounding interest, except in this case, businesses are shelling out more money for the same results.
The reason that competition is so fierce is most likely because there aren’t a lot of different industries covered in these keywords. Most of them pertain to auto accidents, water damage, insurance, or drug rehabilitation. Competition is fierce for those keywords since attorneys, repair specialists, insurance agents, and rehab are generally in demand throughout the year, and there are only so many that can survive in a market at one time.
That’s what these keywords boil down to — survival. With only a few industries jacking up the costs of keywords in a few locations, it’s getting harder and harder for those individual businesses to stay in the black. Rising costs are always bad for any business, and when they can cost as much as $670.44 per click, some businesses are bound to bow out of the spotlight.
Still, the facts that these keywords cost so much and people still use them speak to the incredible ROI that you can achieve with a PPC campaign, even one that targets the most expensive keywords in the world. Fortunately, you probably won’t have to deal with a $670 CPC term.
But if you do, there’s a good chance that you’d still turn a profit from just one of those ads converting a new customer.
[Recommended reading: 6 Benefits Of Organic Search Engine Marketing]
[Images – Main Photo by Pixabay, CC0; Infographic by WebpageFX; Infographic data by SEMrush; Australian Water Dragon by Kris Olin, Alamy.]
Kris Olin, MSc (Econ.) * Editor in Chief at Social Media Revolver * Web Designer * SEO Specialist * Author of the Facebook Advertising Guide. Follow Kris on Twitter and LinkedIn. See his photos at Flickr.
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