What is pay-per-click (PPC)?

In online advertising, pay-per-click (PPC) is an approach that involves advertisers paying a fee each time their ad is clicked.

It’s a method that brands commonly use to drive website traffic where advertisers bid on keywords relevant to their target audience. When users search for those keywords, ads related to those keywords appear, and advertisers pay a predetermined amount when their ad is clicked.

While PPC is often associated with search engine advertising — such as Google Ads — it’s also used on social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. PPC campaigns offer advertisers control over their budgets, targeting options, and ad placements, allowing them to reach specific audiences confidently. By monitoring their click-through rate (CTR) and conversion rate, advertisers can assess the effectiveness of PPC campaigns, and then optimize for better performance and return on investment (ROI).