How the model works
You bid on a search term or an audience. When your ad shows and someone clicks, you pay. Google calls the final amount the actual cost per click. It is often less than your maximum bid, because you pay only what it takes to beat the ad below yours.
Not every ad charges per click. Some campaigns charge per thousand impressions, per video view or per lead. "PPC" has become shorthand for paid ads in general.
Where PPC ads appear
| Platform | Where ads show | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Google Ads | Search, Maps, YouTube, Gmail and partner sites | Catching people searching for your service |
| Microsoft Advertising | Bing, Yahoo and partner sites | Extra search reach, often with less competition |
| Meta | Facebook, Instagram and Messenger | Reaching people by interest and location |
| Amazon Ads | Amazon search results and product pages | Selling products on Amazon |
Why businesses use it
- Ads can run within a day of setup.
- You control the budget to the dollar.
- You target exact searches, areas and hours.
- Results show up in days, not months.
The tradeoff is simple. The leads stop when the budget stops, so PPC works best alongside SEO, which keeps bringing visits long after you finish the work.
Good example. A plumber runs search ads only for emergency repair terms, within 15 miles, during the hours someone answers the phone.
Bad example. A plumber runs broad ads statewide around the clock and pays for clicks from people looking for plumbing jobs.
See how PPC works. Our PPC management starts at $1,000 a month, inside ad accounts you own.