PPC
Search Engine Land is your source for PPC news, trends and content. You’ll find a range of up-to-date and authoritative resources to help you work smarter and make better decisions. What is PPC? Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is a digital marketing model where advertisers pay a fee each time their ad is clicked. This fundamental concept is crucial to understanding the world of online advertising. For an effective strategy, it’s important to understand how PPC and SEO can work together to improve your overall marketing efforts.
Our coverage
We provide the latest news in the PPC industry, keeping you informed about changes, updates, and emerging trends that can impact your campaigns. For example, leveraging AI-driven search advertising can be a game-changer for campaign success. You can also explore the best practices in paid search strategy to refine your campaigns. Check out our recent articles on topics like making display campaigns profitable and managing paid media budget allocation. Our content spans from beginner-friendly introductions to advanced strategies, ensuring we cater to all levels of PPC expertise.
Expert insights
What you read here is written by our experienced in-house team and subject matter experts from leading brands and agencies. This diverse group of contributors ensures you get well-rounded, expert perspectives on PPC topics. Explore our latest job opportunities in search marketing if you’re looking to take your career to the next level. Our experts cover a wide range of subjects, from PPC competitor analysis to winning video advertising creative. We pride ourselves on providing authoritative information to guide your PPC decisions and strategy.
Practical tips and strategies
Our content includes tactic-rich tutorials designed to help you work smarter and make better decisions in your PPC efforts. Whether you’re looking to optimize your campaigns or explore new strategies, you’ll find valuable guidance here. For example, our Google Analytics 4 guide for PPC dives deep into how data can drive better campaign performance. We dive deep into important issues like the high cost of PPC efficiency and provide insights on ad platform updates for B2B in 2024.
Data-driven decision making
We offer the latest data to support your PPC initiatives. Our content is designed to provide you with the information you need to make informed choices and improve your campaign performance. Leveraging Google Analytics 4 will help you navigate the evolving landscape of PPC measurement and optimization. 
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The latest jobs in search marketing
Land your next job in SEO or PPC. These brands and agencies are hiring to fill open search marketing positions right now.
Meta adds dynamic overlays to Advantage+ Catalog ads
Catalog ads now support dynamic overlays – sticker-style labels that highlight prices, discounts, and free shipping.
GA4 updates: Snapshot templates added, Aggregate Identifiers improved
Google Analytics now offers snapshot templates for faster reporting and uses aggregate identifiers for more accurate Google Ads attribution.
Google hypes AI Overviews, refuses to answer CTR question
Google also reported that AI Overviews have 1.5 billion users – even though AI Overviews are a default search feature, not a product.
How to optimize B2B PPC spend when budgets and confidence are low
Stretch your budget by trimming underperforming keywords, adopting value‑based bidding, and testing emerging channels for better B2B results.
How to use CRM data to inform and grow your PPC campaigns
Tap your CRM’s hidden insights. Cluster audiences, craft persona-driven ad copy, and optimize site content to boost paid media results.
Google Ads expands Checkout on Merchant to Demand Gen campaigns
Google's expanded feature brings streamlined purchasing to Demand Gen campaigns on YouTube, potentially increasing conversion rate.
ChatGPT with ads: ‘Free-user monetization’ coming in 2026?
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has previously said he hates ads and he was concerned about products that manipulate the truth to suit advertisers.
Meta rolls out ads globally on Threads feed
Advertisers will be able to reach the 300 million monthly active Thread users with Meta's targeting capabilities.
Google Ads API v17 is going away soon
Google Ads API v17 will stop working on June 4 - make sure to upgrade now to avoid disruptions.
Google asserts ownership of all advertiser assets in Local Services Ads
Google’s new LSA terms give it rights to analyze call data – including sensitive client info. Learn how this could impact YMYL industries.
How to automate your Google Ads workflow with the ChatGPT API
Stop copy‑pasting prompts. Plug GPT‑4o into Google Apps Script, Sheets, and more to run account‑wide performance reviews automatically.
Shopify’s checkout overhaul means it’s time to migrate your Google Tags
Shopify is phasing out legacy Google tag setups. Merchants need to migrate to the Google & YouTube app to maintain accurate tracking.
Google Ads introduces tree table views for enhanced reporting
Google Ads' new Tree Table Views transform data tables into hierarchical layouts to visualize relationships between campaign elements.
Google’s new Demand Gen channel controls available in beta
Channel controls for Demand Gen lets you precisely target YouTube Shorts, Gmail and other visual platforms, with detailed reporting.
Google scraps new cookie prompt in Chrome
Google's decision to maintain third-party cookies without a new consent prompt exposes limitations in its Privacy Sandbox alternatives.
Google Ads made simple: Using life events for audience targeting
Learn all about Life Events segments, how they let you target users experiencing major life transitions, implementation tips, and more.
Google Ad spend continues to outpace traffic volume: Report
Google Ad spending grew 9% while Microsoft Ads saw stronger 17% growth and PMax campaigns showed deteriorating performance, Tinuiti reports.
How to use YouTube Shorts to drive sustained growth, engagement
More than virality, YouTube Shorts drives lasting impact. Stand out with platform-specific tactics TikTok and Reels can’t match.
Google Ads to show ads in the top ads position, also in the bottom ads position
Google said it updated its unfair advantage policy to allow for this and says this is not considered double serving.
How to build a predictable lead gen system with digital ads
Take control of your pipeline with a strategy built on data, testing, and real insights into your audience’s needs and behaviors.
The ROAS illusion: Rethinking what Google Ads success looks like
ROAS doesn’t equal profit. Learn the metrics that actually tell you if your ads are working – and how to implement them in your strategy.
Google Ads API v19.1 adds new Demand Gen, video campaigns features
New features allow advertisers to access enhanced targeting controls and measurement capabilities after a simple library upgrade.
Google Search boss: AI Overviews boost click quality
Google's Elizabeth Reid says AI Overviews drive 'higher-quality clicks' as many publishers watch organic traffic decline.
Court: Google’s illegal ad tech monopoly harmed the open web
Judge rules Google maintained an illegal ad tech monopoly through anticompetitive practices that 'substantially harmed' users and publishers.
Google Analytics 4 fixes data gaps, now flags issues early
Google Analytics is rolling out enhanced data completeness, Updated data presentation, and proactive issue detection.
4 ways to connect your ads data to generative AI for smarter PPC
LLMs are great – until they start guessing. Plug your PPC data directly into generative AI for grounded, strategic campaign support.
Apple rebrands Search Ads as Apple Ads
Apple renames its ads arm as it broadens its ambitions in digital advertising across more of its ecosystem beyond App Store search results.
TikTok Ads introduces new exclusion lists
You can now exclude specific video IDs or specific profile pages from serving next to your TikTok ads.
Google hit with $6.6 billion lawsuit over search dominance
The UK lawsuit claims Google abused its monopoly position to inflate advertising prices, affecting hundreds of thousands of businesses.
Google: 39 million advertisers suspended; 5.5 billion ads removed in 2024
Google's annual Ads Safety Report highlights how AI is reshaping ad enforcement, with a record number of account suspensions.
Google Ads made simple: Leveraging engaged audiences
Learn how you can use Google-engaged audiences for remarketing to users who've already interacted with their brand across Google platforms.
CPC inflation: How fast are Google Ads costs rising?
CPCs are rising – but how fast? Compare ad cost inflation to consumer price index and see what it means for your ad strategy.
Google sends personalized growth plans to advertisers, pushing AI-driven solutions
The new ad guidance pushes advertisers to AI and broader targeting while promising better results but may primarily serve Google's interests.
Google’s anti-privacy bill push sparks outrage among advertisers
Advertisers reject Google's campaign against California's privacy bill saying businesses should build consent-driven customer relationships.
Temu pulls its U.S. Google Shopping ads
The crash of its App Store rank reveals how heavily Temu was reliant on Google advertising for paid acquisiton.
Short-form, big impact: What creators can teach performance marketers
Want more impact from your paid media strategy? Forget polished perfection. Learn why creator-led content is outperforming traditional ads.
Uber Advertising partners with Instacart to expand CPG reach
The partnership enables CPG brands to extend campaigns across both platforms and reach millions of high-intent grocery shoppers in the U.S.
Google Performance Max gets new customer goals, image controls
Google's PMax updates include retention goals for lapsed customers, acquisition cost reporting, and automated image enhancements.
A testing primer for B2B paid social creative optimization
Your B2B ad creative needs to evolve. Learn how to test it right, avoid tired tactics, and turn results into insights on LinkedIn and Meta.