Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising is an online advertising model in which advertisers pay a fee each time their ad is clicked by a user. It’s a way for businesses to drive traffic to their websites or online platforms rather than earning visits organically.

Key features of PPC advertising:

1. Auction-Based Model: Advertisers bid on specific keywords or phrases relevant to their products or services. These keywords are what users might enter into search engines when looking for products or information.

2. Ad Placement: Ads are typically displayed at the top or bottom of search engine results pages (SERPs) or on various websites and social media platforms. They can also appear in mobile apps.

3. Cost-Per-Click (CPC): Advertisers set a maximum bid they’re willing to pay for a click on their ad. When a user clicks on the ad, the advertiser is charged that maximum bid amount. The actual cost per click can vary, depending on the competition for the keywords and ad quality.

4. Ad Quality: Search engines and platforms use a combination of bid amount and ad quality (determined by factors like click-through rate and ad relevance) to determine which ads are displayed and in what order.

5. Targeted Advertising: Advertisers can precisely target their audience based on demographics, location, interests, and other criteria. This ensures that their ads reach users who are more likely to convert into customers.

6. Budget Control: Advertisers can set daily or monthly budgets to control their spending on PPC advertising. Once the budget is exhausted, the ads typically stop displaying until the budget is replenished.

PPC advertising is commonly associated with search engines like Google Ads, where ads appear in response to specific keyword searches. However, it’s also used on various social media platforms (e.g., Facebook Ads) and websites with ad space.

PPC is a cost-effective way to drive targeted traffic to a website or landing page, making it a valuable tool for businesses looking to increase online visibility, attract potential customers, and generate leads or sales. Advertisers have control over their budgets and can track the performance of their campaigns through various metrics, allowing for continuous optimization.