Paid media basics
Paid search
Ads shown next to search results when someone searches for a related term.
What it is
The searcher states the need in their own words, so paid search reaches people who are already looking. Google is the main platform; Microsoft Advertising runs a similar network.
Why it matters
For lead generation and e-commerceIt is usually the channel closest to a purchase decision, and often the channel where acquisition starts.
In practice
Advertisers bid on keywords, write ads for them and pay per click. Results are read by search term, keyword and ad.
A common mistake
Bidding on broad terms without watching which searches actually trigger the ads.
All terms