A good PPC conversion rate typically falls between 2% and 5%, but top-performing campaigns can reach 10% or higher, depending on the industry, platform, and how well everything is optimised.
In 2025, achieving a strong conversion rate matters more than ever. Click costs are rising, audiences are more selective, and ad fatigue happens fast. Simply driving traffic is no longer enough—you need that traffic to convert.
This guide will discuss what defines a good PPC conversion rate today, how it compares across different industries, and what factors influence it. We’ll also explain how to calculate it, what benchmarks to look for, and how you can improve your results through testing, better landing pages, and optimization strategies that actually work.
What Is a PPC Conversion Rate?
Your PPC conversion rate shows how many users clicked on your ad and followed through with the action you wanted, like purchasing a product, signing up for a trial, or submitting a form.
How to Calculate PPC Conversion Rate:
Use this simple formula:
- Conversion Rate = (Conversions ÷ Clicks) × 100
Example:
- If you receive 100 clicks and 10 conversions, your PPC conversion rate is 10%.
This percentage is key to understanding the effectiveness of your campaign. It doesn’t just reflect traffic—it reflects meaningful engagement.
Why this matters:
- A low conversion rate might mean your landing page or offer isn’t aligned with your ad.
- A high conversion rate suggests your ad targeting, copy, and post-click experience work well together.
Knowing how to calculate PPC conversion rate helps you identify where to adjust and where to invest more. It’s one of the most important metrics to track when optimising for better ROI.
Why PPC and Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) Go Hand in Hand
Clicks alone won’t grow your business; conversion rate optimisation (CRO) is what turns ad traffic into actual results. That’s why PPC and CRO should always go together. Paid ads bring people in, but CRO ensures they take the next step.
The two are closely tied. You could have the perfect ad targeting and a high click-through rate, but if your landing page confuses visitors or loads slowly, they’ll bounce, and your ad spend goes to waste. Conversely, small CRO improvements can make even average PPC campaigns profitable.
Why this combination matters:
- Higher conversion rates = lower cost per acquisition
- More revenue from the same ad spend
- Better user experience increases trust and engagement
CRO practices that boost PPC results:
- Simplifying landing pages and focusing on one clear call-to-action
- Making sure your landing page matches the promise in your ad
- Testing headlines, button text, and form length
- Speeding up load times, especially on mobile
In short, you can’t treat CRO as optional to get the most out of PPC. They work best when they’re optimised together.
What Is a Good Conversion Rate for PPC?
So, what’s considered a good PPC conversion rate? It depends on the industry, platform, and what you’re offering, but there are reliable benchmarks that give a strong starting point.
The average PPC conversion rate across all industries is between 2% and 5%. That means for every 100 clicks, 2 to 5 people complete your desired action. However, this is just a baseline.
What qualifies as “good”?
- A good PPC conversion rate often lands around 5% to 10%
- The top 10% of advertisers can hit conversion rates above 11%
PPC conversion rate by industry (general ranges):
- Legal: 6–7%
- Finance: 5–6%
- eCommerce: 2–4%
- Real Estate: 2–3%
- Health/Medical: 3–5%
- B2B Services: 3–6%
These numbers aren’t fixed, but they do give context. For example, a 3% conversion rate might be strong in eCommerce but underwhelming in legal services.
The key takeaway: don’t chase a universal “good” rate. Instead, compare your results against relevant industry benchmarks, factor in your ad budget, and look for consistent improvement. Even a 1% lift in your current rate can significantly increase revenue when scaled.
Amazon PPC: How It Compares
Amazon operates in a slightly different world when it comes to pay-per-click advertising. Unlike Google or Bing, where ads lead to websites, Amazon PPC drives traffic to product listings. That means your Amazon PPC conversion rate is tightly tied to product relevance, reviews, pricing, and competition on the same platform.
So, what is a good conversion rate for Amazon PPC? Industry estimates suggest that Amazon’s average ranges between 9% and 10%, with top sellers often seeing 15% or higher, significantly higher than typical Google Ads benchmarks. That’s because Amazon shoppers are already in buying mode, which naturally boosts conversion potential.
How Amazon PPC differs from traditional PPC:
- Buyers are lower in the funnel—ready to purchase, not just browse
- Ad copy and landing pages are replaced by product titles, images, and reviews
- Keywords are often product-focused and transaction-driven (e.g., “wireless earbuds under $50”)
Expectations will vary by category. For example, electronics and fashion may have lower conversion rates due to comparison shopping, while niche or need-based products (like supplements or home essentials) tend to convert better.
Your Amazon PPC conversion rate will depend on how well your listing competes in terms of content, pricing, and relevance—all key factors for success on this platform.
Factors That Influence PPC Conversion Rates
Achieving a high PPC conversion rate isn’t just about having the right offer—it’s about aligning multiple moving parts that affect a user’s experience from click to conversion. While conversion rate benchmarks give a general idea of what’s good, actual performance can vary based on several critical factors.
Ad Copy Relevance and Quality
Your ad needs to connect with the searcher’s intent immediately. If the headline and description clearly address what they’re looking for, they’re more likely to click and convert. Irrelevant or vague ads lead to wasted spending and poor results.
Audience Targeting
Not all clicks are equal. The more precisely you define your audience (location, device, interest, behavior), the more likely you’ll reach users ready to take action. PPC campaigns vary in performance depending on how well this targeting is set up.
Bid Strategy
Aggressive bidding might increase visibility but not necessarily conversions. Smart bidding strategies, such as Target CPA or Maximize Conversions, help focus your budget on actions that matter most.
Device Type
Mobile users behave differently from desktop users. Conversion rates often differ by device, so your campaigns should be optimized for mobile responsiveness and speed.
Landing Page Experience
Even the best ad won’t convert if the landing page is cluttered, confusing, or slow. A clean design, fast load time, and a clear call-to-action are non-negotiables.
Together, these elements can mean the difference between an average campaign and one that consistently delivers strong results.
How to Improve Your PPC Conversion Rate
If your campaigns are getting clicks but few conversions, it’s time to examine your setup more closely. The goal is to improve conversion rate without necessarily increasing your ad spend. Here are four actionable ways to do that, each tied to proven conversion rate optimisation principles.
Refine Your Targeting
Make sure your ads are reaching the right audience. Use demographics, interests, device type, and even time-of-day filters to tighten your targeting.
For example, if your data shows mobile users are converting at a higher rate in the evenings, adjust your schedule and device bid modifiers accordingly. Precision here often leads to a high PPC conversion rate with less wasted spend.
Test Different Bidding Strategies
If you’re using manual bidding and seeing little movement, try switching to automated strategies like Target CPA or Maximize Conversions. These bidding models use machine learning to push your ad to audiences more likely to convert, taking much of the guesswork out of optimisation.
Use Emotional Triggers in Your Ad Copy
Generic ads get ignored. Try emotional language that taps into urgency, fear of missing out, or desire. For instance, “Get 50% Off—Today Only” or “Running Low? Restock Before It’s Gone.” Emotional cues increase engagement and help nudge users toward action.
Improve Offer Clarity
Make sure users immediately understand what’s in it for them. Clear, specific value propositions like “Free 2-Day Shipping” or “Try It Risk-Free for 14 Days” help reduce hesitation and encourage follow-through.
With these steps, you can steadily improve your PPC conversion rate and get more value from every click without raising your budget.
Better Landing Pages Equals Better Conversion Rates
No matter how compelling your ad is, if the landing page doesn’t deliver, conversions won’t happen. In many cases, improving your conversion rate through landing page changes is one of the fastest ways to get better results from your ad spend.
Optimised landing pages work because they remove friction. They make it easy for a visitor to understand the offer, trust the brand, and take action. On the other hand, a slow, cluttered, or confusing page will lead even interested users to bounce.
Key elements of better landing pages:
- Clear headline that matches the ad promise
- Strong call-to-action (CTA) that stands out
- Concise copy focused on benefits, not just features
- Mobile responsiveness and fast load times
- Trust signals like reviews, testimonials, or guarantees
- Minimal distractions—no navigation menus or irrelevant links
Examples of high-converting landing page designs:
- A software company with a “Start Your Free Trial” CTA above the fold, a clean layout, and benefit-driven bullet points
- An eCommerce brand showcasing a single product with a countdown timer, customer reviews, and an easy checkout button
- A service provider with a side-by-side comparison of plans and a lead capture form that doesn’t ask for too much upfront
Focusing on better landing pages means higher conversions with the traffic you’re already paying for. Every improvement, no matter how small, can compound over time.
How A/B Testing Becomes a Secret Weapon
Sometimes, small tweaks can lead to big wins—and that’s where A/B testing comes in. Split testing, or split testing allows you to compare two versions of a webpage or ad element to see which one performs better. It’s a simple but powerful tool in conversion rate optimisation.
Why does testing matter? Because assumptions don’t always match user behavior. What you think will work best might underperform, while a subtle change, like a new headline or shorter form, could boost conversions significantly.
What should you test?
- Call-to-Action (CTA): Try different wording (“Get Started” vs “Claim Your Offer”)
- Headlines: Test value-driven vs. urgency-based language
- Forms: Reduce the number of fields, or experiment with placement
Start by testing one element at a time to isolate what’s making the impact. Multivariate testing can come later when you’re ready to analyse multiple changes simultaneously.
As for frequency, run tests continuously, especially if your traffic volume allows it. Even if you’re getting solid results, there’s usually room to improve. Regular A/B testing helps ensure your campaigns evolve with your audience, not against them.
Comparing SEO And PPC Conversion Rates
Understanding the conversion rates of SEO and PPC is essential when evaluating digital marketing strategies. SEO boasts an average conversion rate of 2.4%, while PPC averages around 1.3%.
Performance by Industry:
The effectiveness of SEO and PPC varies across industries. For instance:
- Legal Services: SEO converts at 7.5%, significantly outperforming PPC at 2.2%
- Financial Services: SEO achieves 2.2%, whereas PPC lags 0.3%
- Real Estate: SEO sees 2.8% conversions compared to PPC’s 0.8%
These figures highlight that SEO often leads in conversion rates, particularly in sectors where trust and authority are paramount.
Aligning Strategies with Goals:
- PPC: Ideal for immediate visibility and targeting specific demographics or launching time-sensitive campaigns
- SEO: Suited for building long-term credibility and organic traffic, leading to sustainable growth
Strategic Prioritization:
- Short-Term Goals: Prioritize PPC for quick market penetration or promoting limited-time offers
- Long-Term Objectives: Invest in SEO to establish a robust online presence and authority
- Integrated Approach: Combining both can maximise reach and effectiveness, leveraging the immediate impact of PPC and the enduring benefits of SEO
In summary, while SEO generally offers higher conversion rates, especially in trust-centric industries, the choice between SEO and PPC should align with your specific marketing objectives and timelines.
Conclusion On What Is A Good Ppc Conversion Rate
Improving your PPC conversion rate doesn’t come down to guesswork. It requires data-backed decisions, smart strategy, and consistent refinement. A “good” conversion rate will always vary by industry, platform, and offer. But with the right approach, steady improvements are always within reach.
At Best Marketing, we prioritise performance in every PPC campaign. If your ads aren’t converting as they should, we begin with a comprehensive audit.
Our team combines years of hands-on experience with the latest tools and techniques to ensure your campaigns stay competitive and cost-effective. Whether you want to lower your cost per acquisition or increase overall ROI, we help you get more from every ad dollar.
Let’s make your PPC campaigns work harder. Connect with us today to explore how we can improve your conversion rates and make smarter use of your ad spend.
Frequently Asked Questions About What Is A Good Ppc Conversion Rate
Is 30% a good PPC conversion rate?
Yes, a 30% conversion rate is considered exceptional and is typically seen in very niche, highly optimised campaigns with low competition or warm audiences.
What is a good PPC price?
A good cost-per-click (CPC) varies by industry, but generally, $1–$2 is considered reasonable for Google Ads. However, in competitive sectors like legal or finance, CPCs can exceed $20.
What is a poor conversion rate?
Anything below 2% may indicate ad relevance, targeting, or landing page issues. Always compare against industry benchmarks before making changes.
What is a realistic conversion rate?
For most industries, 3–5% is realistic. With optimisation and testing, 7–10% is achievable.
Which is cheaper: SEO or PPC?
PPC offers immediate results but can get expensive over time. SEO requires upfront effort and time but tends to be more cost-effective in the long term.
What is the conversion rate rule?
It’s the idea that every step in your marketing funnel should aim to maintain or improve your overall conversion rate, from ad click to final action. Each component should support the next.
