Click-through rate
4.3%
Clicks divided by impressions.
UK Paid Search Data + Practical Interpretation
Google Ads Benchmarks UK
Compare CPC, click-through rate, conversion rate and cost per lead—while understanding why your own profitable target may be very different from an industry average.
Evidence note: the sourced figures below come from LOCALiQ’s 2025 UK Paid Advertising Benchmark Report and describe 2024 paid-search performance. They are historical reference points, not 2026 forecasts or guaranteed targets.
Overall UK paid-search benchmarks
Conversion rate
3.65%
Reported average across industries.
Cost per click
£1.72
Reported average across industries.
Implied cost per lead
£47.12
Calculated as £1.72 ÷ 3.65%.
The report directly publishes CTR, conversion rate and CPC. £47.12 is a transparent mathematical implication, not a CPL value stated by LOCALiQ. Lead definitions and campaign mixes differ.
Selected UK industry signals from the report
| Metric | Industry | 2024 result | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CTR | Entertainment & leisure | 12.4% | Highest reported paid-search CTR |
| CTR | Property | 6.3% | Second-highest reported CTR |
| Conversion rate | Travel & hospitality | 23.1% | Highest reported conversion rate |
| Conversion rate | Property | 4.9% | Third-highest reported conversion rate |
| CPC | Solicitors | £2.93 | Highest reported search CPC |
| CPC | Aesthetic | £2.73 | Second-highest reported CPC |
| CPC | Recruitment | £2.68 | Third-highest reported CPC |
These are selected high/low signals published by the report, not a complete league table. Do not treat them as targets for an individual account.
Compare your Google Ads results
Enter three numbers from the same date range. Nothing is uploaded or saved.
Enter your figures to receive a simple comparison with the sourced all-industry reference points.
A higher CPC is not automatically bad. A lower CPL is not automatically good. Always check lead quality, close rate, customer acquisition cost and revenue.
How to calculate the four core metrics
CTR
Clicks ÷ impressions × 100.
Average CPC
Advertising cost ÷ clicks.
Conversion rate
Tracked conversions ÷ clicks × 100.
Cost per lead
Advertising cost ÷ qualified leads.
Customer acquisition cost
Total acquisition cost ÷ new customers.
Lead-to-customer rate
New customers ÷ qualified leads × 100.
Why your numbers may differ
Search intent
Emergency, comparison and research searches behave differently.
Location
Competition and customer value vary by city, radius and service area.
Conversion definition
A phone click, qualified call and booked customer are not equivalent outcomes.
Landing page
Message match, speed, trust and usability affect how many clicks enquire.
Campaign mix
Brand, non-brand, Search, Performance Max and remarketing have different economics.
Sales follow-up
Response speed and qualification determine whether leads become revenue.
Diagnose a high cost per lead
| Signal | Likely question | First check |
|---|---|---|
| High CPC, healthy conversion rate | Is the auction expensive but commercially viable? | Customer value and impression share |
| Normal CPC, weak conversion rate | Is traffic mismatched or the page underperforming? | Search terms, device data and landing page |
| Low CPL, poor lead quality | Are weak actions counted as conversions? | Conversion setup and qualification data |
| Good leads, few customers | Is the problem after the enquiry? | Response time, call handling and close rate |
What a useful benchmark should lead to
A profitable CPL target
Start with customer value and close rate, then calculate the lead cost your margins can support.
Better conversion tracking
Separate qualified enquiries from weak calls, spam and accidental actions.
A focused optimisation plan
Prioritise the metric that limits profit instead of trying to beat every average.
Google Ads benchmark FAQs
What is a good Google Ads CPC in the UK?
There is no universal good CPC. The cited 2024 all-industry paid-search average was £1.72, but a higher CPC can be profitable when conversion rate and customer value are strong.
What is a good conversion rate?
The cited all-industry UK paid-search average was 3.65%. Your useful target should reflect campaign intent, conversion definition, landing page and lead quality.
How is cost per lead calculated?
Divide advertising cost by qualified leads generated during the same period.
Can I compare Performance Max with Search benchmarks?
Not directly. Campaign types, networks and conversion paths differ, so compare like with like.
Should I pause a campaign that is worse than the benchmark?
Not from one comparison alone. Validate tracking, sample size, lead quality, sales outcomes and profitability first.
Turn benchmark data into a practical action plan
Book an audit to identify whether CPC, conversion rate, lead quality or sales follow-up is limiting performance.
Source: LOCALiQ 2025 UK Paid Advertising Benchmark Report, reporting 2024 data. Google metric definitions: average CPC. Last reviewed 16 July 2026.