What is paid search? A complete guide to PPC, platforms and performance
Imagine this, you’ve got a leak and you need a plumber, fast.
You type “emergency plumbers near me” into Google, and instantly you see a list of local businesses at the very top of the page 🔝
That didn’t happen by chance and it wasn’t just Google compiling a list at random, they’re paid ads, and you’ve just witnessed the magic of paid search.
It’s a powerful way for businesses to connect with people who are actively looking for a product or service, exactly at the point it’s needed.
In this guide, we break down exactly what paid search is, how it works, and how you can harness its power to drive some serious web traffic, leads and ultimately, conversions.
Let’s break it down 👇
What is paid search?
The term “paid search” (also referred to as PPC) refers to online advertising where businesses have to pay to have their ads displayed at the top (or in some cases bottom) of search engine results pages (also referred to as SERPs) when users search for specific keywords.
If you’re new to digital marketing and are sat there wondering what keywords are, you might want to read our article on how to harness keywords here 👈
“PPC” is a term thrown around in digital marketing pretty often, but in case you’re sitting there guessing its meaning, it’s called PPC (or pay-per-click), because you guessed it…advertisers only pay when someone clicks on their ad 💡
The difference between paid and organic search
Think of paid search a little like “pay to play” - you set your budget and bid for the best screen real estate, aiming to ensure that your ad shows as often as possible, in all the right places, at just the right time 🎲
In contrast, organic search is all about playing the long game and doesn’t involve any form of paid ad network (like Google or Microsoft), instead you work to earn the top spot over time with hard and consistent SEO groundwork, like well crafted landing pages, insightful blog articles and well placed keywords scattered throughout your sites pages.
Think organic searches are cost free? Think again.
Sure, you’re not directly paying for the clicks that organically land on your page, but there’s always a cost associated with curating a high performing website - you’re paying in time, tools, and talent instead of ad dollars. Whether it's content creation, SEO tools, hiring copywriters, or optimizing your site, there's always an ongoing investment behind the scenes.
If I were to ask you which of the two you’d focus on, your answer might be wrong.
The right answer…you need to focus on both ✅
Paid search is all about quick wins and immediate traffic leading to the all important conversion event, whilst organic search is all about building authority and relationships over time, nurturing interests, leads and those inquisitive page viewers until you can finally peak their interest enough.
You can’t rush perfection, and sometimes, you only get one chance at a good first impression (unless you’re retargeting, then maybe you get two!)
How paid search works
At the heart of every paid search click is a real-time auction, happening behind the scenes in milliseconds. The moment someone types a query like “best accounting software”, search engines instantly trigger a lightning-fast bidding war between advertisers who want to show up for that keyword ⚡
But it’s not just about who’s willing to pay the most.
Search engines use a variety of blended factors to decide:
- Your bid: This is the maximum you’re willing to pay for a click. The higher your budget, the greater chance you have of your ad being shown…but there’s no guarantees. Having a high CPC (cost-per-click) set doesn’t automatically mean success…you could burn through your entire budget without any meaningful interactions 💵
- Relevance: Search engines like Google want to show ads that genuinely match the searchers intent. This means:
• Your chosen keywords have to tightly match with your ad copy to avoid confusion 🔍
• Your landing page must deliver on the promise of your ad. If your ad suggests a discounted price but your landing page shows a different figure or an entirely different product, clicks will turn to bounces, fast.
• The overall experience needs to feel seamless, not salesy or like click bait ⏱️ - Ad quality (also known as Quality Score): Search engines like Google assign a Quality Score (from 1 to 10) based on three main factors:
1. Expected CTR: How likely it is that people are actually going to click on your ad 🖱️
2. Ad relevance: How closely does your ad match the searcher’s intent. The greater the relevance the higher the chance of success.
3. Landing page experience: How useful and relevant is your landing page? Focus on page speed, mobile-friendliness, and content quality to maximize your chances 💪
A well optimized landing page that loads fast and works seamlessly on mobile is essential for a high score 💯
🔑 The key to success? Don’t think of paid search as a simple game of matching pairs, turning your ad over alongside a matching viewer. It’s a balancing act of smart bidding, compelling ad copy that grabs attention and strong keyword knowledge.
Why paid search matters
In a world where attention is scarce and competition is tough, paid search is one of the fastest and smartest ways to get in front of customers who are actively searching for what you offer.
Unlike traditional advertising, where you interrupt someone scrolling through social media or watching a YouTube video, paid search puts your brand's products or services in front of users the moment they express interest by pressing enter on that search query.
The key difference? Intent. Paid search doesn’t just build awareness - it drives action 🎬
Here’s why it matters so much in today’s marketing landscape:
- Capture high-intent traffic: Someone that sees your ad isn’t a passive viewer. This is someone that’s actively searching with purpose and might be close to making a decision 🎯
- Accelerate your brand visibility: If your ad is showing up at the top of Google’s search results, you can tick the instant credibility box. Even if they don’t actually click on your ad, they’ve seen your name 🚀
- Test, learn, adapt: Paid searches give you real-time data that allow you to test new offers, switch up landing pages or even adapt the core message you’re putting across to your viewer. Use this data to your advantage, try things out and see what sticks 📈
- Stay competitive: If you’re not bidding on your brand or key product terms, your competitors probably are. Paid search helps you to defend your territory 💸
Paid search gives you the ability to build momentum, turn up the tap instantly, and where needed, turn it back down just as fast 🚰
The types of paid search
Depending on what you’re selling, who you’re targeting, and how you want users to engage, there are different formats on offer, designed to meet different goals - from visual product based ads to call-driven leads.
Let’s break down some of the core types and when to use them:
Text Ads (Search Ads) 💬
These are the bread and butter of paid search and appear as plain text ads that appear at the top or bottom of a search engine results page (SERP).
They're great for lead generation, service based businesses, B2B sales or SaaS products and work best when they are simple, targeted and intent-driven.
Shopping Ads 🛍️
We’ve all searched for products on search engines like Google, to see a horizontal row of suggestions, complete with prices, reviews and those all too prominent yellow stars ⭐
The beauty of this is with the right price point and image match, you can quickly turn a search to an ad click.
These are best for eCommerce businesses and physical product sellers.
Local Service Ads 🪛
This one involves a pay-per-lead cost model, where service based businesses (like plumbers & electricians) appear at the top of your search results with a “Google guaranteed” badge of approval.
These ads help to build credibility instantly, and the beauty is you’ll only get charged for actual leads, not just clicks.
Call-only Ads 🤙
Created for a better mobile-first experience, these are designed to drive phone calls directly from the SERP.
They are an ideal fit for businesses that see a call as more valuable than an ad click or website visit (i.e. emergency medical numbers, restaurant bookings etc) and work well as you can bypass the landing page and go straight to a conversation (or conversion).
Dynamic Search Ads 🤖
Imagine how chaotic and time consuming it would be for a wholesale product website to generate headlines and match products to landing pages, update prices and fill in keyword gaps that (let’s face it) at volume, you might not catch.
Well dynamic search ads do exactly that! They match users' search queries to relevant pages on your site, automatically generate headlines based on your pages titles and content and even choose which landing page to send users to, all in real time.
One thing to remember, more automation brings less control, so you’ll want to monitor your ads performance closely & set up exclusions for terms that you don’t want to show up for ⚠️
Key paid search platforms (and what they’re good at)
When it comes to paid search, Google might be the first word on many a marketers lips, but it’s not the only platform you can choose from.
Depending on your audience, budget, and goals, there are some other serious contenders in town worth exploring.
Each platform comes with their own strengths, quirks, and sweet spots, so instead of picking one blindly, think of it like picking the ideal match for a first date.
Can it give you what you need? Will it understand your goals? Is it worth seeing again?
Let’s break it down 👇
Google Ads (The overachiever) 🔍
If you’re after reach, precision, and endless tools (quite possible too many tools!) to tweak your ads performance, Google’s your classic high-performer. It’s everywhere, knows everything, and has data on everyone. What’s not to love? 🫶
🔥 Best for: Pretty much any type of business, with any type of product or service, anywhere in the world, with any budget or goal…you get where we’re going with this right?
👍 Pros: Not only does it come with access to YouTube, Shopping & Display (which frankly for a lot of businesses is the tipping point), but you also get MASSIVE search volume, smart automation tools and some of the deepest possible targeting.
👎 Cons: Massive volume makes for a highly competitive landscape, so unless you’re focussed, you could burn through your budget quickly. Mix that with it not necessarily being a beginner friendly tool and you might decide to look elsewhere.
If you want to learn more about Google Ads and its variety of ad types, just tap here 👈
Microsoft Ads (The underrated power player) 💼
This isn’t Bing Ads anymore - Microsoft Advertising has quietly and confidently become a smarter choice for savvy marketers looking to find reach, without some of the noise other platforms bring (cough cough…Google). With lower competition & CPC, and a more mature, desktop-based audience, it’s a hidden gem for a wide range of industries 💎
🔥 Best for: B2B sales, industries like finance & healthcare that are more “high-trust” and professional services.
👍 Pros: Lower CPCs than Google, high-quality leads and seamless Google Ads import for ease of use.
👎 Cons: Lets face it, pretty much any platform would have a smaller reach than Google, but we’ll list it as a con. It also has fewer automation tools.
Ready to up your Microsoft Ads game? Click here to learn more.
Amazon Ads (The conversion machine) 🛒
Amazon isn’t the place for window shopping, users are there to buy. With purchase intent higher than some skyscrapers in New York, and targeting built right into the shopping journeys, Amazon Ads is a must if your products (or your competitors) are on the platform…just be ready to pay for prime placement 💸
🔥 Best for: eCommerce brands selling on Amazon.
👍 Pros: High purchase intent and a native shopping environment that has a reported 310 million DAU (daily active users).
👎 Cons: It’s a bit of a high-walled garden, with limited insights, tight brand control and a pay-to-play model that can get costly if you don’t keep your finger on the pulse.
Niche search engines (The more thoughtful outsiders) 🌱
Ok, so these aren’t your typical ad platforms, but they can still add value. We’re talking about the privacy conscious DuckDuckGo users, or the sustainability focussed browsers on Ecosia - these smaller search engines offer a more aligned reach for brands with a purpose (And there's more of them than you think!).
🔥 Best for: Mission-driven brands looking for their ads to resonate with the right audience.
👍 Pros: You’ll definitely reach more unique audiences, and competition will probably be fairly low.
👎 Cons: Low competition will likely go hand in hand with a smaller reach than the more common engines, and you’ll have to accept more limited targeting and reporting tools.
⁉️ Why Meta isn’t included! Simply put, it’s technically not a search platform! Sure it knows what you like, what you clicked, and what your connections are into, but it’s not by definition paid search. If you're still sat there wondering about Meta, we've got you covered here.
Your ad platform shapes more than just placements - it defines your audience, your costs, and your conversion potential. The good news? No one said that you have to just pick one. Cast the net wide, measure ruthlessly, and double down on what delivers.
Key terms you should know
We’ve thrown a few terms at you already, but there’s a fair bit of lingo you’ll likely end up hearing everywhere that you should know:
- PPC (pay-per-click): You pay when someone clicks, not when they see your ad.
- CPC (cost-per-click): How much each cost costs you. You can break it down here.
- CTR (click-through rate): The % of people who see your ad and actually click on it.
- Quality score: Google’s quality score (from 1-10) on how good (and relevant) your ad, landing page and keywords are.
- Impression share: How often your ad appears vs how often it could appear.
- ROAS (return on ad spend): Revenue divided by ad spend - this ones a key metric to measure profitability. If ROAS is a new metric to you, you should dive into our helpful article here.
- ROI (return on investment): A measure of how much profit or value you gain from your spend, usually expressed as a percentage. Master your ROI with our deep dive article here 👈
The increasing challenges of paid search
Paid search is powerful, but it doesn’t make it a silver bullet and its not immune to its own set of challenges. Let's break a few down:
- Rising costs: As industries mature and more competition enters the market, CPCs continue to increase year on year. If you’re in a niche market or a local business, you might still be able to find pockets of success (and affordability) though 💵
- Ad fatigue: Search ads definitely aren’t immune to dying a death from being seen on repeat. If your copy is starting to look stale, or your competition appears more often, your click through rate can quickly tank 🪦
- Tracking complexities: Privacy laws are tightening, with GDPR and CCPA limiting data collection. Cookie depreciation is going to make it much harder to track users across devices (enter JavaScript tags like Hitprobe…a subtle mention), and iOS updates like their App Tracking Transparency have put a ring fence up around cross-platform tracking 🍪
- Automation challenges: With smart bidding and AI automations, comes "black box" data, which ultimately makes it harder to understand why something is or isn’t working 🤔
The bottom line is paid search works best when you actively manage it, optimize it regularly, and understand your numbers. Sure, platforms will send a seemingly never ending tirade of email suggestions on how they suggest you optimize with automation, but don’t forget, their main goal is ad revenue, not your ad performance.
How paid search fits into your bigger marketing strategy
Paid search isn’t a solo act - it thrives when it's part of an integrated strategy.
When you sync it with your other channels, you’ll get more efficient spend, smarter targeting, and faster growth. Here’s hope you can fit it into your marketing activities:
- Bottom of funnel (BOFU) brilliance: Paid search shines brightest when intent is high. If someone is already Googling “best CRM for small businesses”, they’re not just browsing, they’re all but ready to buy into some new software and all you need to do is tip the scales in your favour. It’s the perfect place to capture demand that already exists without your input ⚖️
- Reinforce with retargeting: Not everyone converts on the first click. Enter retargeting, the opportunity to bring back visitors who showed interest then left, with tailored keywords, dynamic copy or offers designed to hook them back in and peak their interest again 🔁
- Data that fuels the entire funnel: Search terms and conversion data doesn’t have to just live in your chosen ad platform. That data is gold for your SEO, helping you to curate specific content that you know will resonate with your audience, focus your landing page strategy, and even your product’s core messaging. Paid search shows you what people actually care about, so you can use that insight everywhere 📊
The takeaway? Think of paid search as the high-intent cog in a well-oiled machine. It performs best when it’s feeding into (and being fed by) your SEO, email, and content.
Don’t isolate it, integrate it.
Why the right analytics tool changes everything
Running paid ads is only one half of the story, to measure success you’ll need to track performance accurately and be able to act on what your data is telling you, fast.
That’s where tools like Hitprobe come in:
Cut through the noise with clean, cookie-free data 🍪
If you’re still relying on tools that track users in sketchy ways to get insights, or scrape personal data, then you’re on the back foot. Tools like Hitprobe don’t rely on cookies, so it’s future-proof and privacy respecting by design.
Spot the red herrings before they burn your budget 🔥
Not every click on an ad is a good click. Marketing tools don’t all come with fully functional click fraud and invalid click protection as standard - you only need to look at Google's attempt at detecting and blocking invalid clicks to realise that they are digital marketers first, ad fraud protection second.
Tools like Hitprobe automatically flag and filter invalid traffic (from click farms and bots to repeat malicious clicks) so your conversion data stays clean and your spend stays efficient.
Track paid & organic, side-by-side 📊
Imagine if you could track your paid and organic traffic performance side-by-side to measure success. Why stop there, you could even add in socials and email marketing - no silos, just side-by-side clarity on what’s driving real results.
Follow the real conversions, not just the clicks ✅
Clicks are easy, but conversions are what really counts. Marketing analytics tools allow you to track meaningful actions like purchases, signups and form completions, helping you to focus and double down on what’s actually moving the needle.
Capture the entire user journey 👀
Whether they came from an ad, found you organically or clicked on a link in one of your emails, seeing what they interact with, their scroll depth, where they drop off and what made them convert is powerful information you can leverage to keep refining what success looks like.
The bottom line? If you’re not using the right analytics tool, your decisions are only as good as your dirty data (and its associated guess work). Tools like Hitprobe give you cleaner insights, smarter decisions, and stronger ROI - all without the antiquated cookie baggage.
Our top tips to get started with paid search
Forget the “just launch an ad” mentality, smart paid success starts here 👇
Our final thoughts
Paid search isn’t just about throwing money at keywords and hoping for clicks, it’s about understanding your audience's intent, choosing the right platform(s), creating compelling ads, and constantly refining your strategy based on real results.
Whether you’re after quick wins, longer-term brand growth, or just trying to outsmart your competitors on a tight budget, paid search can be a powerful lever when done right…and with the right analytics in place, you don’t have to fly blind.
If you’re ready to work with clearer insights and see what’s really driving conversions, sign up for Hitprobe to level up your paid search strategy 🚀
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