Google Ads Benchmarks
Last Updated: May 30, 2023You want your Google Ads campaigns to generate more sales, but you might not be entirely sure if what you’re doing is correct.
And if you only have your own metrics to look at, it’s not that easy to see what’s performing well and what isn’t.
That’s exactly why I put together this collection of Google Ads benchmarks. It will help you get a better idea of what good (and bad) looks like for all the key Google Ads metrics.
One caveat before you jump in: an average might give you direction, but the correct number for you depends greatly on your industry and business.
Google Ads BenchmarksThere are many different campaign types in Google Ads, and because each of these types behaves a little differently, their metrics are also different.So let’s first start out with a couple of overall averages, and then dig into the specific campaign types.
Average Google Ads Clickthrough RateClickthrough rate (CTR) shows how often people click your ad vs how many times it’s shown. This metric is a good indicator of how well your keywords match your advertisement.
The average CTR for Search Ads is 3.17%, while Google Display Ads have an average CTR of 0.46% across industries.
The reason why the Search CTR is 10X that of Display Ads is that with Search Ads, people are actively looking for information, while Display Ads aim to interrupt people while they’re doing something else online.
Average Click-Through Rate in Google Ads by Industry (Source: WordStream)
Average Google Ads Cost-per-click
Cost-per-click is the price you have to pay for every click on your ads.On average, advertisers pay $2.69 per click on Search Ads, while the average CPC for Display Ads is $0.63.
Knowing how much other advertisers spend per click can help you estimate if you’re not spending enough, and thereby limit your exposure, or if you’re overpaying for some reason.
Average Cost Per Click in Google Ads by Industry (Source: WordStream)
Average Google Ads Conversion Rates
The conversion rate is the percentage of how many visitors you’re able to convert into sales.The average e-commerce conversion rate for Search Ads is 2.81%. For Display Ads, the average conversion rate is 0.59%.
Knowing average conversion rates can help troubleshoot why your campaigns might not be generating a high enough return.
Average Conversion Rates in Google Ads by Industry (Source: WordStream)
Average Google Ads Cost Per Action
Cost per action (CPA) is how much you’re paying for each sale.For Search Ads, the average CPA for e-commerce is $45.27. For Display Ads, the average CPA is $65.80.
Many businesses have a good idea of how much they can afford to spend to get a customer. So by knowing the amounts, other advertisers are able to hit, you can benchmark your own efforts.
Average Cost Per Action in Google Ads by Industry (Source: WordStream)
