The average keyword price fell 15 percent from April to May, reaching $1.66 from $1.95, according to the Fathom Online Keyword Price Index, MediaPost reports. The drop follows an increase of 11 percent from March to April. Mortgage-related keywords, which had increased 20 percent in April, dropped 30 percent in May, to $4.52. Only automotive search term prices increased in May, reaching $1.50, for a month-over-month increase of 7 percent.

The keyword price drop would have been 3.3 percent were it not for the large mortgage price decreases. Investing search terms also decreased - 11 percent, to $1.81. Retail and travel and hospitality keywords each fell 6 percent, reaching 49 cents and 87 cents, respectively. Consumer services, broadband telecommunications, and wireless telecommunications search terms fell, respectively, 3 percent to $1.09, 3 percent to $2.02, and 1 percent to $1.00.