What is PPC?
PPC, or Pay-Per-Click, is a no-nonsense digital advertising method that charges you only when someone clicks your ad. Unlike traditional ads that charge you upfront whether they work or not, PPC ensures you’re only paying for real interest. And while SEO is all about climbing the search rankings organically, PPC in digital marketing lets you jump straight to the top by paying for those prime spots.
This PPC glossary PDF file is your quick-start guide to mastering the essentials. Let’s turn these terms into tactics and get your ads working harder for you.
Ads
Short for advertisements, these are the promotional messages or content that businesses pay to display on search engines, websites or social media platforms. These ads are designed to drive traffic, generate leads or encourage specific actions, such as making a purchase or signing up for a service.
Ad Keyword
This is a search term that advertisers bid on to have their ads appear in search results. The more an advertiser bids on a keyword, the higher their ad placement. Google Ads Help describes how keywords work in the advertising ecosystem, including how bidding and auction dynamics operate.
Ad Rank
Used by Google Ads, this determines the position of an ad based on factors such as bid amount and relevance. Picture a marathon where your rank depends on your speed, strategy and finesse. Ad Rank operates on a similar competitive principle. Learn directly from Google’s Ad Rank page about the factors that affect your Ad Rank and how you can improve it.
Broad Match
Using this keyword match type, your ad will be shown for searches that are related to your keyword, including synonyms or variations. For instance, if your broad match keyword is “running shoes,” your ad might also appear for searches like “buy sneakers” or “athletic footwear” to capture a wider range of searches.
Clickthrough Rate (CTR)
The percentage of people who click on your ad after seeing it. Imagine a store sign that draws customers inside—CTR measures how effective your ad is at doing just that. When your CTR is high, your ad is performing well, relevant and compelling to your audience. Google Ads Help discusses how CTR is a key metric in determining the relevance and success of your advertisements.
Conversion Rate
The percentage of users who complete the desired action after clicking on your ad. Think of it as the success rate of your sales pitch—higher conversion rates mean your ads and landing pages are doing their job well. You can use conversion tracking in your Google Ads account to measure how effectively your ads are driving actions like purchases, sign-ups or form submissions.
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Cost Per Click (CPC)
When someone clicks on your ad, you pay this amount.
Exact Match
A keyword match type where your ad appears in search results only if the search query matches exactly your keyword. An exact match keyword such as “running shoes” will mean your ad will only show up when someone searches for “running shoes” exactly, without any additional words or variations.
Impressions
The number of times your ad is shown, regardless of whether it’s clicked or not.
Negative Keywords
Keywords for which you don’t want your ads to appear. A negative keyword such as “cheap” might be useful if you sell luxury watches. This way, your ads won’t show up when someone searches for “cheap watches,” making sure only users looking for high-end products see your ads.
Paid Search
Picture renting billboard space next to a bustling highway. Paid search operates on the same principle—you pay for prominent placement in search engine results for specific keywords. Google Ads is the primary platform for paid search and offers various options for targeting based on keywords, location and other factors. Google provides a detailed beginner’s guide to Google Ads for those interested.
Quality Score
A rating given by search engines like Google based on the quality and relevance of your ads, keywords and landing pages. Imagine a chef being rated on the quality of their dishes—the better the quality, the more customers will come back, and the less they need to spend on marketing. A higher Quality Score can similarly lower your costs and improve your ad placement. Google discusses Quality Score on their Google Ads Help, which outlines how this score is calculated and how you can check your rating.
Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)
A metric that shows your return on advertising spend. It helps you see how well your ads are performing and if they’re bringing in enough revenue compared to what you’re spending.
Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
Search engine marketing (SEM) includes both paid search (PPC) and organic search (SEO) strategies aimed at increasing your website’s visibility on search engines. While PPC allows you to buy your way to the top of search results, SEO focuses on earning that spot over time through optimization.
Enjoyed this PPC and search engine marketing definition PDF file?
Understanding what each term means is easy. But turning that knowledge into a high-performing, scalable PPC campaign? That’s where the real challenge begins.
At Area Ten, we’re not just about getting your ads live. We’re here to drive bigger results, faster.
Our digital marketing agency specializes in fast-tracking profitable growth with a custom tech approach that starts delivering results in just 6 weeks. For over a decade, we’ve taken marketing budgets on life support and turned them into thriving success stories, spotting opportunities that others overlook.
Having run over $2.1 million in ad spend each month, we have perfected the art of keeping momentum and increasing performance as your account grows.
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