All of the 10 most expensive paid search keywords are related to mesothelioma, a cancerous tumor that is at the center of many asbestos-related lawsuits, according to recent paid search stats from Adgooroo.
Long-tail keywords referring to mesothelioma attorneys in specific states, plus general structured settlement keywords, are the priciest Google desktop search ads based on average cost-per-click (CPC), the analysis of January through June 2015 ad spend data found.
"Mesothelioma attorneys TX" is the most expensive search keyword, on average ($272 CPC), followed by "mesothelioma attorneys Maryland" ($262).
The high cost of these keywords is the result of competitive bidding, according to the report.
For mesothelioma-related keywords, attorneys set high bids in Google AdWords because they stand to receive large sums of money when a plaintiff in a lawsuit gains a favorable judgment or settlement.
One thing to note is that keywords with the highest average CPCs tend to be more niche and do not generally correlate to the biggest overall ad spends.
An analysis of 2014 paid search stats by Adgooroo found the top keywords by spend are for the most part broader terms, such as "free credit report" and "car insurance."
About the research: The report was based on January to June 2015 CPC data and January to December 2014 spend data for Google desktop search ads.