The Hidden Giants of Google Ads: Who Really Pays the Most Per Click and Why?
- Antonio Carlos Faustino
- Jun 25
- 3 min read
Introduction: Not every click costs pennies
Did you know that some advertisers pay more than $200 for a single click on Google Ads ? While many entrepreneurs fight for R$0.50 clicks, digital marketing giants in sectors such as legal , financial and B2B SaaS enter auctions where the minimum bid can be equivalent to a luxury dinner. But why these astronomical amounts? And what justifies such an investment?
In this article, we will reveal the behind-the-scenes of these sectors, understand what makes Cost Per Click (CPC) skyrocket and how smart companies overcome this with quality and strategy.
What is CPC and why does it vary so much?
Cost Per Click (CPC) is the amount an advertiser pays each time someone clicks on their ad on Google. The amount is determined by an auction system that takes into account:
Bid offered by the advertiser;
Quality Score , which evaluates the relevance of the ad, keyword and landing page;
Competition in the segment.
In more general sectors, such as clothing e-commerce, the CPC can range between US$0.50 and US$2. In specialized niches, such as law and corporate software, this value can explode to more than US$100 per click .
Legal Sector: where clicks are worth their weight in gold
Average CPC in the US: $50 to $200+
The most expensive keywords in the world often belong to the legal sector. Terms like “ personal injury lawyer Los Angeles ” or “ mesothelioma attorney ” top the list.
Why?
The value of each customer (LTV) can be tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Legal cases, especially those involving compensation or civil liability, involve high commissions .
The number of searches is relatively low , but with a very high conversion intent .
💡 Example: A single client for a law firm can generate $50,000 or more . A $100 click becomes a great investment.
Financial Sector: Risk and Return Investments
Average CPC in the US: $20 to $90
Trading platforms, credit cards, digital banks and personal loans make up the financial advertising market , where the competition is equally fierce.
Reasons for high CPC:
High competition between banks, fintechs and credit companies.
High LTV: A credit card customer or bank account can generate recurring revenue for years.
Searches with a strong intent to take action, such as “ best card with no annual fee ”.
📌 Largest advertisers: JPMorgan Chase, American Express, NerdWallet, Robinhood.
B2B SaaS: the million-dollar subscription game
Average CPC in the US: $30 to $100
Software as a Service (SaaS) companies , especially those targeting the enterprise market, operate with a long-term vision. They don’t just look for clicks — they look for long-term contracts .
What raises the CPC:
Expensive products and annual (or multi-year) contracts;
Customers with high average ticket and low churn;
Long sales funnels, requiring remarketing and multiple touches .
🧠 Insight: In B2B SaaS, an expensive click can be diluted over a $50k/year contract.
The Logic Behind High Bidding: Thinking Like an Investor
The industries with the highest CPCs share a common mindset: think about ROI, not immediate cost . If a $100 click brings in a customer who generates $10,000, the return is more than justifiable.
📈 Simple formula used by many managers:
LTV / CAC > 3 (Customer value divided by acquisition cost needs to be greater than 3 to be worth the investment)
Quality Index: the key to reducing costs
Even in expensive niches, it is possible to pay less per click than your competitor. The secret lies in the Quality Score , which is based on:
Expected CTR (Click Through Rate)
Ad relevance
Landing Page Experience
High-ranking advertisers can pay up to 50% less per click than others with higher bids.
✅ Practical tips:
Use keywords in your ad title and text;
Direct to a quick and optimized landing page;
Test different ad versions to improve CTR.
Who are the biggest advertisers in these sectors?
According to market reports and estimates from SEMrush and Ahrefs, some of the biggest advertisers in terms of CPC investment include:
Sector | Enterprise | Monthly expense estimate |
Legal | Morgan & Morgan | US$ 1.5 million |
Financial | American Express | US$ 4 million |
B2B SaaS | Salesforce | US$ 2.8 million |
📚 References:
GOOGLE. How Ad Rank Works . Available at: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/1722122 . Accessed on: June 25, 2025.
WORDSTREAM. The Most Expensive Keywords in Google Ads . Available at: https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2017/03/06/most-expensive-keywords . Accessed on: June 25, 2025.
AHREFS. Cost Per Click Data by Industry . Available at: https://ahrefs.com/blog/cpc-data . Accessed on: June 25, 2025.
SEMRUSH. Google Ads Benchmark Report . Available at: https://www.semrush.com/research . Accessed on: June 25, 2025.
CHAFFEY, Dave. Digital Marketing: Strategy, Implementation, and Practice . 8. ed. Harlow: Pearson Education, 2021.
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