$39.52 for one click for the term "Chicago estate planning lawyer"?
I had a lawyer client who setup his own Google AdWords account and made the mistake of setting his maximum CPC (Cost per click) at $40.00 for every key phrase he setup.
The thing that stood out to me when reviewing and updating the account, was that he only got one click for Chicago estate planning lawyer but he was charged $39.52, which seems crazy since at Overture the top bid for that term is $1.51 and you can get into the top 5 for 14 cents.
Now once I took over the account and adjusted a few things, especially the max CPC, the average cost per click is now only $1.30.
I’m waiting for Googles explanation but I think it comes down to setting the bid so high, then having competitors who were also bidding high on that term.
Its a valuable lesson for lawyers to learn that its important to understand just how Google AdWords works before setting up an account and bidding so high, otherwise you might be in for an unpleasant surprise.