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AdvertisingSearch ads benchmarks by industry, 2026
WordStream and LocaliQ's 2026 search advertising benchmarks show an average click-through rate of 6.64%, cost per click of $5.42, conversion rate of 8.18% and cost per lead of $66.69 across industries. Legal services remain the most expensive sector for both clicks and leads.
Key findings
- Attorneys and legal services have the highest average cost per click ($9.87) and cost per lead ($131.63).
- Arts and entertainment has the highest click-through rate at 12.75% and the lowest cost per lead at $26.84.
- Animals and pets has the highest conversion rate at 16.22%, while finance and insurance has the lowest at 2.64%.
The data
| Industry | Average CTR (%) | Average CPC ($) | Average conversion rate (%) | Average cost per lead ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Animals & Pets | 7.49 | 4.06 | 16.22 | 31.5 |
| Apparel / Fashion & Jewelry | 6.64 | 4.44 | 4.5 | 97.51 |
| Arts & Entertainment | 12.75 | 1.63 | 5.91 | 26.84 |
| Attorneys & Legal Services | 5.87 | 9.87 | 5.55 | 131.63 |
| Automotive: For Sale | 8.28 | 2.27 | 6.01 | 44.26 |
| Automotive: Repair, Service & Parts | 5.56 | 4.35 | 15.51 | 29.96 |
| Beauty & Personal Care | 6.75 | 4.62 | 10.35 | 39.25 |
| Business Services | 6.1 | 5.87 | 4.85 | 93.69 |
| Career & Employment | 5.88 | 5.81 | 3.05 | 67.36 |
| Dentists & Dental Services | 5.66 | 8 | 10.67 | 72.97 |
| Education & Instruction | 7.56 | 4.81 | 13.14 | 77.48 |
| Finance & Insurance | 9.83 | 3.39 | 2.64 | 74.44 |
| Furniture | 6.57 | 3.97 | 2.99 | 106.7 |
| Health & Fitness | 5.81 | 6.17 | 6.94 | 67.36 |
| Home & Home Improvement | 6.47 | 8.33 | 8.05 | 90.92 |
| Industrial & Commercial | 6.57 | 5.87 | 8.2 | 75.19 |
| Personal Services | 7.16 | 7.17 | 12.34 | 54.6 |
| Physicians & Surgeons | 6.61 | 4.76 | 12.43 | 40.04 |
| Real Estate | 7.61 | 3.22 | 3.7 | 102.51 |
| Restaurants & Food | 6.83 | 2.05 | 8.05 | 30.57 |
| Shopping, Collectibles & Gifts | 8.28 | 4.14 | 4.01 | 49.4 |
| Sports & Recreation | 8.75 | 2.77 | 7.69 | 44.26 |
| Travel | 9.32 | 2.14 | 5.83 | 44.7 |
Use this data
Free to use in articles, reports and presentations, with credit and a link to this page. Please also credit the original source.
Sources and method
- LocaliQ, Search Advertising Benchmarks for Every Industry [2026 Data] (with WordStream by LocaliQ) (Tables for average CPC, CTR, CPL and CVR by business category; last updated 1 June 2026)
- WordStream, 2026 Google Ads Benchmarks (Companion WordStream article for the same study (could not be read directly; figures taken from the LocaliQ page))
Industry averages copied from the four by-category tables on LocaliQ's 2026 search advertising benchmarks page. Cross-industry averages quoted in the summary are stated in the same article.
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