The cost per click for search ads is four times higher than for display

An overview of cost per click (CPC) and cost per action (CPA) by ad format and product vertical.

Data from Wordstream show that the stronger results from search advertising come at a cost for advertisers.

On average, the cost per click (CPC) for search ads is over four times higher than for display, at $3.00. CPC is highest within the legal sector, at $6.75, while consumer services ($6.40), technology ($3.80), finance & insurance ($3.44) and B2B ($3.33) businesses also paid above the average.

When assessing the cost per action (aka cost per acquisition), the picture is more mixed. This is likely because the action against which the cost is measured will vary by campaign...

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