This Google Keyword Tools lets you quickly find out how much it'll cost you, as an advertiser, to be visible in the first 1-3 results for just about any keyword.
The prices for common keywords ranges from the occasional "bargain" at a mere 50¢ to around 1$... and sometimes, much higher.
That's roughly how much money Google gets from the clicks.
At the other end of the rainbow are the publishers, those with whom Google splits part of the "click proceeds" (as a commission).
- These publishers are currently seeing revenues come in for the valid clicks they help make (through their pages) but the payoff is nowhere near what it costs the advertisers.
Various online sources contend that the payoffs (for the publishers) look like they range between 5% and 15% of the initial price paid by the advertisers.
Is this assumption close to being right on the money?