SEO vs PPC: Which Should Your Business Invest In?
SEO builds traffic slowly and keeps it; PPC buys it instantly and stops when you stop paying. Here is how timelines, costs and risks compare, and when to run both.
Business & Retail Tech
What is Pay-Per-Click Advertising?
Quick answer
An online advertising model, known as PPC, in which advertisers pay each time someone clicks their ad rather than for impressions.
Pay-Per-Click Advertising, explained
Pay-per-click advertising is most associated with search engines, where businesses bid on keywords so their ads appear above or beside search results. Social media platforms, marketplaces, and retail media networks also sell ads on a cost-per-click basis. The price of each click depends on competition for the keyword or audience, the ad's relevance, and the platform's auction rules.
For example, an emergency locksmith might bid on searches for locked out locksmith near me in its city, paying only when someone clicks to call or visit its site. PPC can bring traffic quickly, unlike search engine optimization, which takes time. Costs can rise fast without careful management, so advertisers set budgets, target specific locations and times, track conversions, and send clicks to relevant landing pages.
Related terms
Landing Page
A focused web page designed for one goal, such as collecting sign-ups or selling a product, usually reached from an ad, email, or search result.
Retail Media NetworkAn advertising business run by a retailer that sells ad space on its websites, apps, and stores, targeted using its own shopper data.
UTM ParametersShort tags added to the end of a web link that tell analytics tools where a visitor came from, such as which campaign, source, or ad.
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