Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising is a digital marketing strategy where advertisers pay each time a user clicks on one of their online ads. Predominantly used on search engines like Google and Bing, as well as on social media platforms such as Facebook and LinkedIn, PPC is a way for businesses to buy visits to their sites, rather than attempting to “earn” those visits organically.

One of the most common forms of PPC is search engine advertising, where businesses bid on keywords relevant to their target market. Ads appear in search engine results, labeled as sponsored links. The cost per click (CPC) can vary significantly depending on the keyword competition and market demand.

The process involves setting up campaigns that consist of ad groups containing ads, keywords, and bids. Advertisers can set a budget for how much they are willing to spend per day or per campaign and can make adjustments in real time. The success of PPC advertising relies heavily on keyword relevance, the quality of the ad, and the landing page performance. Effective PPC campaigns are well-organized, targeted, and optimized to maximize the return on investment (ROI).