PPC Statistics for 2026: Global Ad Spend, CTR, CPC, Conversion Rates, Industry Benchmarks, and AI Impact

In 2026, pay-per-click advertising is the largest single category of digital marketing expenditure, commanding 39% of total digital advertising budgets and over USD 190 billion in global search ad spend alone. Google Ads retains dominance with a 69% share of the global PPC market, generating an average return of USD 2 for every USD 1 spent and delivering an 80% lift in top-of-mind brand awareness. PPC traffic converts 50% better than organic traffic, and 65% of high-intent searches result in an ad click, embedding paid search permanently into the commercial search ecosystem.

The benchmark data tells a nuanced story of rising costs offset by rising performance. WordStream’s 2025 Google Ads Benchmarks report, drawn from 16,446 U.S.-based search advertising campaigns running between April 2024 and March 2025, found that CPCs increased across 86% of industries in 2024 with a 10% average year-over-year rise, while conversion rates simultaneously improved across 65% of industries, meaning advertisers paid more per click but got more value per click. The average CPC on Google Ads is USD 5.26, CPL is USD 66.69, and the average conversion rate is 6.96%. Arts and Entertainment saw a 32% decrease in cost per lead, Career and Employment fell 47%, while legal services maintained the highest CPL at USD 144.03.

Platform diversification is reshaping PPC budget allocation. While Google retains scale, Microsoft Ads delivers lower CPCs at an average of USD 1.54 and lower CPAs at USD 41.44 versus Google’s USD 48.96. Amazon now captures 22.3% of U.S. search ad spend. TikTok ad revenue reached USD 33.12 billion in 2025, up 40% year-over-year, with 41% of PPC marketers planning to increase their TikTok spend. And AI has entered campaign management at scale: 75% of PPC professionals use AI at least sometimes to write ads, 71% report satisfaction with the results, and automated bidding adoption has become the default for most major advertisers.

This article compiles 75+ PPC statistics organized across nine thematic sections, drawn from the latest figures published within the last two years by primary data providers including WordStream, Coupler.io, DesignRush, Reboot Online, eMarketer, Statista, Google, and DemandSage. Every statistic is atomic, individually sourced, and linked directly to its original study or publication.

Scope and Methodology

Includes only publicly available PPC statistics relevant for 2026.
Based on the latest figures published within the last two years.
Sources include primary research, first-party platform data, institutional studies, and industry reports.
Each statistic is listed separately with its original source and study context.
No estimates, forecasts, interpretations, or recommendations are included.

Key PPC Statistics for 2026

Global search ad spend reached approximately USD 190.5 billion in 2024, making search advertising the largest single segment of digital advertising expenditure, based on projections by Statista, cited in The Frank Agency PPC Statistics 2025.
PPC traffic converts 50% better than organic traffic, based on data cited in The Frank Agency PPC Statistics 2025.
Advertisers allocate 39% of their total digital marketing budgets to paid search, based on budget allocation data cited in GrowthScribe PPC Statistics 2025.
Google Ads owns a 69.04% share of the global PPC market, based on market share data by 6Sense, cited in DesignRush PPC Statistics 2026.
Businesses earn an average of USD 2 in revenue for every USD 1 spent on Google Ads, based on Google-reported ROI benchmarks cited in GrowthScribe PPC Statistics 2025.
65% of industries saw improved conversion rates in 2025 despite rising CPCs, based on the 2025 Google Ads Benchmarks report drawn from 16,446 U.S.-based campaigns running from April 2024 to March 2025 by WordStream.
CPCs increased in 86% of industries in 2024, with a 10% average year-over-year rise, based on the 2024 Google Ads Benchmarks report from 17,000-plus U.S. campaigns by WordStream.
The average CPC on Google Ads across all industries is USD 5.26 for search and USD 0.63 for display, based on 2025 benchmark data by WordStream, cited in Coupler.io PPC Statistics 2025.
PPC ads have been shown to boost brand awareness by an average of 80%, based on research published by Google, cited in The Frank Agency PPC Statistics 2025.
65% of high-intent searches result in an ad click, based on data cited in GrowthScribe PPC Statistics 2025.
75% of PPC professionals say they use AI at least sometimes to write their ads, and 71% of those who use AI say they are satisfied with the results, based on a survey by Digital Silk, cited in Digital Silk Top PPC Statistics 2025.
74% of brands say PPC is a huge driver of their business, based on survey data cited in 99firms PPC Stats 2026.

Global Ad Spend Statistics

Global search advertising is projected to grow to USD 306.7 billion by 2024 when including all search formats beyond standard PPC, based on growth projections cited in GrowthScribe PPC Statistics 2025.
The U.S. accounted for 35% of total global PPC spend in 2024, based on geographic spend data cited in WeCanTrack PPC Statistics 2025.
U.S. mobile ad spend surpassed USD 200 billion in 2024, representing 51.2% of all media spend and 66% of all digital ad budgets, based on eMarketer’s Mobile Advertising 2024 report cited in DesignRush PPC Statistics 2026.
Programmatic display ad spend in the U.S. is projected to reach USD 180 billion in 2025, up 13.3% year-over-year, based on eMarketer data cited in DesignRush PPC Statistics 2026.
In-app ad spending is forecast to rise 135% from USD 203.8 billion in 2023 to USD 479.4 billion by 2028, based on eMarketer projections cited in DesignRush PPC Statistics 2026.
The global PPC software market grew from USD 20.5 billion in 2024 to USD 22.49 billion in 2025 at a CAGR of 9.8%, based on market size data cited in DesignRush PPC Statistics 2026.
By 2030, 62% of total search ad spend will come from mobile devices, based on Statista projections cited in DesignRush PPC Statistics 2026.
The average ad spend per internet user in search is expected to reach USD 58.21 in 2025, based on Statista projections cited in DesignRush PPC Statistics 2026.
62% of marketers plan to increase their PPC budgets, while only 35% plan no change, based on survey data cited in 99firms PPC Stats 2026.
72% of digital advertisers stated that the primary objective of their PPC campaigns in 2024 was achieving efficient growth, based on a 2024 advertiser survey cited in Digital Silk Top PPC Statistics 2025.

Google Ads Benchmark Statistics

The average CTR for Google Search ads across all industries is 7.37% in 2024, based on WordStream benchmark data reported in Reboot Online PPC Statistics 2025.
The average CTR for Google display ads is 0.46% across all industries, based on benchmark data by WordStream, cited in Digital Silk Top PPC Statistics 2025.
The average conversion rate for Google Ads across all industries is 6.96% in 2024, based on 17,000-plus U.S. campaign analysis by WordStream.
The average cost per lead (CPL) for Google Ads across all industries was USD 66.69 in 2024, based on analysis of 17,000-plus U.S. campaigns by WordStream.
The average CPA on Google Ads is USD 48.96 for search and USD 75.51 for display, based on 2025 benchmark data by WordStream, cited in DesignRush PPC Statistics 2026.
CPCs increased for 86% of industries in 2024, 82% of industries saw an increase in CPL, CTR increased 10.43% overall, and CVR declined 1.09%, based on the 2024 Google Ads Benchmarks report by WordStream.
Cost per lead increased for 13 out of 23 industries in 2025 by an average of 5% year-over-year, a significantly lower rate than the 25% average increase seen in the prior year, based on the 2025 Google Ads Benchmarks report drawn from 16,446 U.S. campaigns by WordStream.
Career and Employment saw the steepest cost per lead decline in 2025 at 46.74%, and Arts and Entertainment fell 32.28%, based on the 2025 Google Ads Benchmarks report by WordStream.
Google Ads search ads convert at 4.2%, while display ads convert at 0.55%, based on benchmark data by Databox, cited in DesignRush PPC Statistics 2026.
The best-performing verticals by CTR in 2024 were Arts and Entertainment at 13.04%, Sports and Recreation at 9.66%, and Real Estate at 9.20%, based on WordStream’s 2024 Google Ads report cited in DesignRush PPC Statistics 2026.

Industry Benchmark Statistics

Attorneys and Legal Services had the highest average CPL on Google Ads at USD 144.03 in 2024, followed by Furniture at USD 119.10 and Career and Employment at USD 117.92, based on the 2024 Google Ads Benchmarks report by WordStream.
Automotive Repair, Service, and Parts had the lowest CPL at USD 27.94 in 2024, followed by Restaurants and Food at USD 29.67 and Animals and Pets at USD 34.81, based on the 2024 Google Ads Benchmarks report by WordStream.
Automotive Repair, Service, and Parts had the highest conversion rate in 2024 at 12.96%, followed by Animals and Pets at 12.03%, based on industry CVR data by WordStream.
Finance and Insurance CTR increased 24.75% year-over-year, Shopping and Gifts increased 22.22%, and Home Improvement increased 16.46% in 2024, based on the 2024 Google Ads Benchmarks report by WordStream, cited in DesignRush PPC Statistics 2026.
The legal industry has the highest CPC at USD 8.67, while real estate enjoys one of the lowest CPCs at approximately USD 1.40, based on industry CPC data cited in The Frank Agency PPC Statistics 2025.
Sports and Recreation and Education and Instruction saw the largest conversion rate increases in 2025, both over 40% year-over-year, based on the 2025 Google Ads Benchmarks report by WordStream.
Career and Employment saw the steepest CVR decline in 2025 at 23.09%, Restaurants and Food fell 18.69%, and Home and Home Improvement fell 14.97%, based on the 2025 Google Ads Benchmarks report by WordStream.
The average conversion rate across Facebook Lead Ads campaigns is 7.72%, with Food and Restaurant advertisers achieving over 18% and Attorneys and Legal Services at 10.53%, based on Facebook Ads benchmark data by WordStream.
The average CPL for Facebook Lead Ads increased 20.94% overall in 2025 to USD 27.66, though it remains significantly lower than Google Ads’ USD 66.69 average, based on Facebook Ads Benchmarks 2025 data from over 1,000 campaigns by WordStream.

Platform Comparison Statistics

Google was projected to capture 50.5% of all search ad spending in the U.S. in 2024, with Amazon capturing 22.3%, based on search ad market share data cited in Digital Silk Top PPC Statistics 2025.
Microsoft Ads delivers a lower average CPC of USD 1.54 and a lower CPA of USD 41.44 compared to Google Ads’ USD 5.26 CPC and USD 48.96 CPA, while generally achieving higher CTRs and CVRs, based on cross-platform benchmark data cited in Coupler.io PPC Statistics 2025.
Amazon’s average CPC for Sponsored Products is USD 0.95 and advertising conversion rate is 9.44%, based on Ad Badger analysis cited in Reboot Online PPC Statistics 2025.
The average CTR for Microsoft Bing Ads across all industries is 2.83%, based on data by WordStream, cited in 99firms PPC Stats 2026.
76% of PPC marketers regularly run ad campaigns on Facebook, making it the most widely used social PPC platform, based on a survey cited in Coupler.io PPC Statistics 2025.
The average CPC on Facebook across all industries is USD 1.92 for Lead Ads in 2025, based on Facebook Ads Benchmarks 2025 data from over 1,000 campaigns by WordStream.
People are 4 times more likely to click on paid search ads on Google at 63% compared to other search platforms including Amazon at 15%, YouTube at 9%, and Bing at 6%, based on data cited in EcommerceBonsai PPC Statistics 2025.
TikTok ad revenue reached USD 33.12 billion in 2025, up 40% year-over-year, with a global advertising audience of 1.5 billion users representing 13.1% of the world population, based on data by DemandSage, cited in Coupler.io PPC Statistics 2025.
41% of PPC marketers planned to increase their TikTok ads budget in 2024, 34% planned to increase their LinkedIn ads budget, and 35% planned to increase their X ads budget, based on a PPC platform budget survey cited in Digital Silk Top PPC Statistics 2025.

CTR and Conversion Rate Statistics

Ads in the first position on Google Search have an average CTR of 7.94%, falling to 5.57% for the second position and 2.83% for the third, based on ad position CTR analysis cited in WeCanTrack PPC Statistics 2025.
Ads on the first page of Google Search results have an average CTR of 3.16%, while ads at the top of results average 8%, dropping to 0.2% at the bottom of the page, based on position CTR data cited in EcommerceBonsai PPC Statistics 2025.
64.6% of users click on a Google Ad when they are actively looking to purchase an item online, based on WordStream research cited in EcommerceBonsai PPC Statistics 2025.
33% of consumers click on Google Ads because they directly answer their search query, and 26% click because they recognize the brand, based on consumer behavior research by Enterprise Apps Today, cited in DesignRush PPC Statistics 2026.
75% of users click on paid search ads because these links help them find information faster, and 33% click because the ad directly answers their search query, based on a Clutch survey cited in EcommerceBonsai PPC Statistics 2025.
Dedicated PPC landing pages convert 65% better than standard website pages, based on performance research cited in Digital Silk Top PPC Statistics 2025.
Ads with sitelink extensions experience a CTR lift of up to 20%, and local search ads with a phone number have a 6% higher CTR than those without, based on ad extension performance data cited in WeCanTrack PPC Statistics 2025.
Using review extensions in ads can increase CTR by up to 10%, and displaying ad prices can increase CTR and conversion rates by 25%, based on ad format performance research cited in WeCanTrack PPC Statistics 2025.
52% of B2B PPC ads lead to a homepage instead of a dedicated landing page, reducing potential conversion rates significantly, based on a survey cited in Digital Silk Top PPC Statistics 2025.

Mobile PPC Statistics

52% of all PPC clicks came from mobile devices in 2024, based on mobile click share data cited in GrowthScribe PPC Statistics 2025.
Mobile PPC ads had a 20% higher CPC than desktop ads in 2024, based on cross-device cost comparison data cited in WeCanTrack PPC Statistics 2025.
By 2030, 62% of total search ad spend will come from mobile devices, based on Statista projections cited in DesignRush PPC Statistics 2026.
U.S. mobile ad spend surpassed USD 200 billion in 2024, now representing 66% of all digital ad budgets, based on eMarketer’s Mobile Advertising 2024 report cited in DesignRush PPC Statistics 2026.
Organic CTR lost 25% share on desktop and 55% on mobile devices between 2019 and 2024, reflecting the growing dominance of paid ads in mobile search results, based on Moz research cited in EcommerceBonsai PPC Statistics 2025.
Ad spending on short-form video is expected to reach USD 111 billion in 2025, based on projections cited in Coupler.io PPC Statistics 2025.
Enhancing existing ad sets with video ads can lead to an 18% increase in conversions, based on research by Meta, cited in Coupler.io PPC Statistics 2025.

AI and Automation Statistics

75% of PPC professionals use AI at least sometimes to write their ads, and 71% of those who use AI say they are satisfied with the results, based on a survey cited in Digital Silk Top PPC Statistics 2025.
42% of PPC marketers say they always target exact match keywords, reflecting continued reliance on manual control despite growing AI automation, based on a survey cited in Digital Silk Top PPC Statistics 2025.
42% of surveyed PPC marketers slightly or significantly increased their budget for Google keyword-based text ads in 2024, based on a PPC marketer survey cited in Coupler.io PPC Statistics 2025.
Brands using automated bidding tools experienced a 7.4% decrease in average CPC on some platforms in 2025, based on bidding performance data cited in SQ Magazine Social Media Advertising Statistics 2025.
65% of companies report better outcomes after incorporating AI tools into their PPC workflows, based on data by Semrush, cited in SearchAtlas SEO Statistics.
52% of marketing agencies want to push their clients to invest in Google Ads, 53% recommend social, 40% focus on Bing Ads, and 34% on display advertising, based on a PPC agency survey cited in EcommerceBonsai PPC Statistics 2025.

Consumer Behavior and Perception Statistics

75% of users say paid ads make it easier to find what they need online, based on a consumer survey cited in GrowthScribe PPC Statistics 2025.
77% of users are confident they can identify paid search advertisements when they see them, based on a Clutch survey cited in EcommerceBonsai PPC Statistics 2025.
50% of users state they cannot differentiate between paid and organic results in practice, based on data cited in GrowthScribe PPC Statistics 2025.
26% of consumers click on paid search ads because they recognize the brand being advertised, based on consumer behavior data cited in EcommerceBonsai PPC Statistics 2025.
45% of small businesses invest in PPC advertising, making paid search accessible well below the enterprise level, based on data cited in The Frank Agency PPC Statistics 2025.
59% of consumers research products online before making a purchase, and 47% of global purchases are completed online, underpinning the structural demand for PPC in the pre-purchase journey, based on consumer behavior data cited in The Frank Agency PPC Statistics 2025.
37% of online users mark social networks as the most influential source for finding inspiration for purchases, based on a consumer motivation survey cited in The Frank Agency PPC Statistics 2025.
The average bounce rate for paid search ads is 43.9%, meaning more than half of PPC traffic engages beyond the landing page, based on paid search behavior data cited in Digital Silk Top PPC Statistics 2025.

Cost and Budget Statistics

For most businesses, monthly PPC costs fall between USD 100 and USD 10,000, with 22.62% of marketers spending between USD 5,001 and USD 10,000 per month, based on a WebFX survey cited in Reboot Online PPC Statistics 2025.
The average small business invests between USD 9,000 and USD 10,000 per month in Google Ads campaigns, based on a WordStream analysis of its client base cited in 99firms PPC Stats 2026.
43% of startups have average monthly PPC costs of USD 100 to USD 5,000, based on a 2024 survey by WebFX, cited in Reboot Online PPC Statistics 2025.
33% of small businesses pay USD 100 to USD 5,000 per month on paid advertising, compared to fewer than 19% of enterprises at the same range, based on a WebFX survey cited in Reboot Online PPC Statistics 2025.
Shifting even 10% of search spend from Google to Amazon or Bing can cut blended CPCs by 8% to 12%, based on cross-platform efficiency analysis cited in Digital Silk Top PPC Statistics 2025.
The legal industry has the highest CPA on Google Ads at USD 137.17, followed by health and medical at USD 126.29 and employment services at USD 105.79, based on industry CPA benchmarks cited in EcommerceBonsai PPC Statistics 2025.
The average shopping CPA across all industries is USD 38.87 for Google Ads and USD 23.05 for Bing Ads, with Bing consistently delivering lower CPAs due to lower competition, based on shopping ads benchmark data by WordStream.

References

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