Pay-per-click (PPC) is an online advertising model in which advertisers pay each time a user clicks on one of their ads. This model is commonly used in advertising campaigns on search engines, social networks and other online platforms. PPC allows advertisers to control their budget by paying only for direct interactions with their ads, making it a cost-effective and measurable model.

How the PPC works :

1. Keyword bidding: In PPC campaigns, advertisers bid on specific keywords so that their ads appear when users perform searches using these terms. For example, a shoe company might bid on the keyword “sports shoes”.
2. Ad display: When a user searches for a term corresponding to one of the selected keywords, an automatic auction is triggered between the advertisers who have chosen this keyword. The amount of the bid, as well as the quality and relevance of the ad, determine whether and where the ad will be displayed.
3. Cost-per-click (CPC): The cost-per-click (CPC) is the amount the advertiser pays for each click on its ad. This amount varies according to keyword competition, ad quality and landing page relevance.
4. Performance measurement: PPC platforms such as Google Ads or Facebook Ads provide tools for tracking and analyzing campaign performance. Advertisers can see how many clicks an ad has generated, what the average CPC is, how many conversions have been achieved, and more.

Advantages of PPC :

1. Budget control: Advertisers have total control over their budget, defining a maximum amount they are willing to pay per click and a daily budget for their campaigns.
2. Immediate results: Unlike SEO, which can take time to produce results, PPC can drive traffic to a website immediately after the campaign is launched.
3. Precise targeting: PPC makes it possible to target audiences very precisely according to criteria such as keywords, geographic location, device type, time of day, interests, and much more.
4. Measurability and flexibility: PPC campaign performance is easily measurable, enabling strategies to be adjusted in real time to maximize return on investment (ROI). Advertisers can modify bids, keywords and ads according to the results obtained.
5. Adaptability: PPC campaigns can be quickly adapted to align with events, promotions or market changes, offering great flexibility in campaign management.

Disadvantages of PPC :

1. High long-term cost: Although PPC can be very effective, costs can add up quickly, especially in competitive sectors with high keyword bids.
2. Dependence on paid clicks: Over-reliance on PPC can be problematic, as once the budget is exhausted, traffic to the website can drop immediately. It’s often advisable to combine PPC with other digital marketing strategies, such as SEO, for lasting impact.
3. Management complexity: Managing PPC campaigns can be complex, requiring constant monitoring, testing and adjustment to maximize effectiveness and avoid unnecessary expenditure.
4. Risk of fraudulent clicks: There is a risk of fraudulent clicks, where competitors or automated programs repeatedly click on ads to drive up costs without generating any real leads or sales.

Popular PPC platforms:

1. Google Ads Google’s advertising platform is the most widely used for PPC, allowing advertisers to show ads on Google search results pages, YouTube, and on millions of partner sites via the Google Display Network.
2. Bing Ads (Microsoft Advertising): Microsoft’s platform offers an alternative to Google Ads, with the possibility of running ads on Bing, Yahoo and AOL.
3. Facebook Ads Facebook offers targeted PPC campaigns based on users’ interests, behaviors and demographics. Facebook-owned Instagram is also included in this platform.
4. LinkedIn Ads : LinkedIn offers PPC options targeting professionals, making it an effective platform for B2B and recruitment campaigns.

Example of PPC use:

Let’s say a travel company wants to promote a summer vacation. It could create a PPC campaign on Google Ads, bidding on keywords like “all-inclusive summer vacation” or “summer travel deals”. Its ad would then appear at the top of search results when users searched for these terms. The company would only pay when someone clicked on the ad, leading them to a landing page where they could book their vacation.