Definition
PPC (pay-per-click) is online advertising where you pay each time someone clicks your ad, as in Google Ads search campaigns.
PPC explained
In search PPC, advertisers choose keywords, write ads and set bids and budgets. When someone searches, an auction decides which ads appear and in what order, and the advertiser pays when their ad is clicked. Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising are the main search platforms; social networks and newer channels such as ChatGPT Ads also sell ads, with various pricing models.
PPC's strengths are speed and control. Campaigns can start sending visitors within days, you choose exactly which searches to target, and spend can be turned up or down at any time. The trade-off is that traffic stops when spending stops, and costs in competitive markets can be high.
PPC and SEO work well together. Paid campaigns can test which keywords and messages convert before you invest in content, cover important searches while organic rankings grow, and protect branded searches from competitors. Both depend on the same foundations: accurate conversion tracking and landing pages that match what the searcher wants.
Example
Your new accounting software needs sign-ups before SEO content has had time to rank. A PPC campaign targeting “bookkeeping software for freelancers” starts sending trial sign-ups within the week, and the keywords that convert then shape your content plan.
Why it matters
PPC buys immediate, targeted visibility. Run well, it produces leads at a known cost; run badly, it spends budget on clicks that never convert.
Related service
Google Ads Management
Search, Shopping and Performance Max campaigns built around tracked conversions and cost per acquisition.
Google Ads management servicesWork it out with the Google Ads Budget & Break-even CPC Calculator
Published by Vidern, founded and led by Malhar Shah. Updated .
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Related terms
- CPC (Cost Per Click)CPC (cost per click) is the amount an advertiser pays for each click on an ad, with average CPC being total cost divided by total clicks.
- Quality ScoreQuality Score is a 1 to 10 Google Ads diagnostic comparing your ads with competitors' on expected CTR, ad relevance and landing page experience.
- ROAS (Return on Ad Spend)ROAS (return on ad spend) is the revenue generated by advertising divided by the cost of that advertising, often written as a ratio or percentage.
- Conversion trackingConversion tracking records valuable actions people take after seeing your ads or visiting your site, such as purchases, sign-ups, calls or leads.
- SEO (Search Engine Optimization)SEO (search engine optimization) is improving a website so it appears more often and higher in unpaid search results for searches that matter to you.