How does Google make money? Surprisingly, 97% comes from online pay-per-click advertising. At WordStream we can’t get enough PPC; that’s why we decided to conduct some research and find out what the most expensive keywords are in Google. Some of our results about the most popular and most expensive PPC keywords were to be expected, while some (like cord blood and mesothelioma treatment) surprised us and our readers.

Note: If you don't quite understand this infographic, consider learning more about what is Google AdWords.
The Top 10 Most Expensive Keywords are:

1. Insurance
2. Loans
3. Mortgage
4. Attorney
5. Credit
6. Lawyer
7. Donate
8. Degree
9. Hosting
10. Claim

You’ll notice that these top ten most expensive AdWords keywords deal primarily with financing and industries that manage vast sums of money. The fact that the educational keyword “degree” is one of the top ten most expensive Google keywords, right up with lawyers and credit, reminds us of the growing cost of education.
The next ten most expensive keywords complete our total list, resulting the top 20 most expensive AdWords keywords:

11. Conference Call
12. Trading
13. Software
14. Recovery
15. Transfer
16. Gas/Electricity
17. Classes
18. Rehab
19. Treatment
20. Cord Blood

There you have it – the highest cost keywords. If you are considering entering into one of these industries, be ready to pay high cost per click rates for the top keywords. While some may start treatment facilities for the greater good, be aware that you’ll wind up in one of the most expensive niche groups, and your paid search marketing wallet will suffer from those high CPCs.
The most expensive SEM keywords may be frustrating for those in the industries, but they are the best keywords for Google, who makes 97% of revenue from advertising on Google sites (AdWords, AdSense). In the last four quarters, the biggest player of search engine history brought in $32.2 billion in total advertising revenue.

How Does Google Make Its Revenues?

Many people are surprised to find out that Google makes 97% of their revenue from online pay-per-click advertising. We decided to dig in and break apart exactly which keywords makes Google the most money.

How Was the Data for the Most Expensive Keywords Study Compiled?

For the Most Expensive Keywords Infographic, we compiled data from our own large keyword database and the Google Keyword Tool to determine the top 10,000 most expensive English-language keywords over a 90-day period.
We then organized the grand total keyword list into categories by theme, such as "Credit," or “Insurance.” The largest keyword categories were determined by weighting the number of keywords in each category, as well the estimated monthly search volume and average CPC for each keyword.

Why is Quality Score Important For Bidding on Competitive Keywords?

Quality Score is key for using AdWords effectively and getting the most out of your advertising budget. When bidding on competitive keywords, Quality Score is especially crucial because High Quality Scores can help you lower your average cost-per-click.
If you’re concerned about your Quality Score, try running the free AdWords Grader, a free tool that helps advertisers evaluate their PPC campaigns based on important metrics like Quality Score. If you score low, Quality Score can be improved by writing more targeted ad text and landing pages.