[INFOGRAPHIC] Top 20 Most Expensive Keywords

Way, way back in 2011, when the world was young and fidget spinners weren’t yet a thing, there was lore floating around within the search marketing world that “mesothelioma” was the most expensive keyword to bid on in Google Ads (at the time, referred to as Google AdWords), costing upwards of $100 per click. But was it true?

This time around, we determined the highest 25 costliest keywords (meaning these niche markets are super-competitive) along side their average CPC – and 6 years later, the results are substantially different!

Ready to see what the foremost expensive keywords are right now? Here we go:

About the information

Here’s how we got the list: We pulled all the info collected from anonymous Google Ads Performance Grader reports across all industries between June 1, 2016 and June 12, 2017, then checked out the highest 1000 costliest keywords seen during that time period and categorized them by core intent.

For example, we lumped the keywords “bail bonds” and “bail bonds los angeles” into one category since the core intent is the same. Likewise, keywords involving differing types of lawyers (such as “malpractice lawyer” and “injury lawyer”) or insurance were grouped together. We used an identical methodology last time so on avoid featuring too many specific long-tail or local keywords that wouldn’t have broad applicability to a large number of companies . We separated distinct services (pest control vs. termites) as much as possible.

The Next 5 : Ranked from 21 to 25

Mortgages $36.76

Online Gambling $32.84

Banking $31.43

Hair Transplant $31.37

Google AdWords $30.06

What makes these keywords so expensive?

Generally, AdWords keyword costs get driven up in specific niches for one of the following reasons:

People have a nasty problem they actually need to repair now

When people are desperate for help, they’re willing to spend more on services or products to urge that problem solved. meaning the businesses doing the advertising can charge more for those services, and that they can often achieve strong ROI on their ad spend even with high costs per click.

These spaces also are highly competitive, because people don’t necessarily spend an extended time deciding where they’re getting to shop – they need help NOW! for instance , one among the top keywords within the “medical services” category is “emergency room near me.” If the advertiser is within the right place at the proper time, they will profit big. (Not that i feel private companies should be profiting off people that need emergency care…)

Examples of keywords associated with urgent problems include:

“Bail bonds” at #2

“Lawyer” at #4

“Cash services & payday loans” at #7

“Rehab” at #11

“Plumber” at #18

“Termites” at #19

“Pest control” at #20

High-priced items or services

Last time around, insurance-related keywords were at the very top of the list. in line with our data, insurance is not any longer king of the hill. That’s excellent news for marketers trying to drive leads within the insurance industry, right? (Sort of – they’re still almost $50 per click on the average . And there are outliers, like “malpractice insurance,” which will cost over $300 per click!)

Now, the most expensive keywords are within the category “business services” – business keywords includes stuff like “data room” and “network security monitoring” – presumably because these services tend to be costly. Companies offering business services are willing to bid more per keyword because there’s such a lot to realize when an opportunity does convert, whether it’s one big purchase or a service with a high customer lifetime value.

Law keywords are still far up there, and on the average keywords associated with legal services are even costlier ($54.86 per click compared to $42.51 in 2011). are often "> this is often a part of why marketing for law firms can be a challenge.

If you're in one among these expensive niches, consider expanding onto the display network. When leveraged in conjunction with engaging creative (like the type you'll make with our free Smart Ads Creator), the display network may be a great spot to get affordable clicks and balance out your budget.

Fulfilling your hopes and dreams (and addictions)

People can pay tons to possess their dreams come true. For some, those dreams are about getting an education. Y’all love learning and “degree” remains a really expensive keyword (too bad for those of you marketing within the education industry).

Once you get a degree, you'll get a higher-paying job, then reward yourself with an enormous vacation. Travel-related keywords like “Hilton timeshare reviews” make an appearance this year at #13 on the list.

But people clicking on ads haven’t kicked all their bad habits – “casino” is much up there at #3 ($55.48 per click) and “online gambling” makes an appearance too, at #22. Who needs a Vegas vacation when the fun’s right there in your laptop?

You’re also talking with psychics and getting hair transplants. #questionablechoices

The 25th costliest keyword in Google AdWords is … Google AdWords?

We weren’t expecting this one. Sometimes people google “google,” and sometimes people bid on “google adwords” in Google AdWords. (OK, we admit it. You’re watching a number of those people immediately .)

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