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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Dig deeper into PPC:
LinkedIn opens up top-of-feed Reserved Ads to all managed advertisers
LinkedIn Reserved Ads let marketers secure top-of-feed placement, boosting visibility, engagement, and predictable reach for B2B campaigns.
Google scraps unified pricing rules in Ad Manager after antitrust pressure
Google’s removal of unified pricing rules lets publishers set bidder-specific floors again, which could cause a pricing shift in programmatic auctions.
Google adds animation and image editing tools to Merchant Center’s Product Studio
Google's latest update gives merchants new ways to quickly animate, clean up, and enhance product images directly inside Merchant Center.
How to use Google’s Channel Performance report for PMax campaigns
See what the report actually reveals about PMax delivery, attribution, and asset performance – plus where the data still misleads.
How conversational AI is changing the economics of paid search
A closer look at how Microsoft Copilot uses conversational search to capture intent, reduce wasted spend, and improve ROAS.
4 marketing problems AI can actually solve right now
How serious marketing teams are using AI to move faster without cutting corners.
Google: Exact match keywords won’t block broad match in AI Max
Google clarified that exact keywords don’t serve ads in AIOs — but they also no longer prevent broad match keywords from triggering those placements.
Google AI Overviews surged in 2025, then pulled back: Data
Semrush analyzed 10 million keywords and found volatility, more ads, stronger CTRs, and AI Overviews expanding beyond informational intent.
When Google’s AI bidding breaks – and how to take control
Google’s AI bidding can scale spend while eroding efficiency. Learn where to intervene to protect PPC performance.
How to boost ROAS like La Maison Simons
A six-step guide to improving your ecommerce PPC strategy, inspired by a Canadian fashion leader.
Google Ads adds VTC bidding for App campaigns
Google Ads now lets Android App campaigns optimize bidding for view-through conversions, showing a shift toward video-driven performance.
Why click-based attribution shouldn’t anchor executive dashboards
Click metrics tell part of the story, but overreliance skews budgets and strategy. Build PPC measurement frameworks tied to real outcomes.
Sophie Fell talks why double-checking campaign settings matters
Even experienced PPC pros can be caught out by defaults, making it essential to double-check campaign settings.
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.
Google Ads quietly unlocks Merchant Center videos for Performance Max
Google’s new Merchant Center video integration gives PMax advertisers faster setup, stronger product relevance, and scalable video performance.
The AI gold rush is over: Why AI’s next era belongs to orchestrators
Why the 'more is better' era of marketing technology is officially over, and what actually works instead.
How breakthrough TV ads trigger search spikes and conversions
Breakthrough TV creative continues to spark search demand. Learn what top ads reveal about emotion, attention, and user behavior.
Search Engine Land celebrates its 19th birthday
Search Engine Land launched Dec. 11, 2006. Today, we look back on a successful 2025 and look forward to an even greater 2026.
Bing tests Google-style “Sponsored results” grouping
Bing’s new grouped “Sponsored results” format could drive higher unintentional ad engagement by blending paid listings more seamlessly into search results.
A dark landing page won our A/B test – here’s why best practices got it wrong
Dark mode beat light in a B2B SaaS test even with lower CTR – showing how audience context and industry cues shape performance.
Brand protection in PPC: How to protect your brand and prevent risks
Read this PPC protection guide to learn how to build a strong brand-protection strategy in paid search – and how to stop brand bidding and prevent ad hijacking.
Shopify launches Product Network to blend items across merchants
Shopify’s Product Network lets advertisers reach shoppers across multiple merchant sites with contextually relevant products.
LinkedIn introduces Reserved Ads, ad personalization, new AI tools
LinkedIn’s updates help B2B marketers reach buyers earlier with faster creative workflows, smarter targeting, and stronger feed visibility.
Google launches natural language Developer Assistant for Google Ads API
Google’s new Developer Assistant lets advertisers and developers use plain language to generate, run, and export Google Ads API queries.
YouTube Shorts adds comments and creator links to ads
YouTube’s latest Shorts updates give advertisers more interactive, creator-driven tools to boost engagement and drive holiday conversions.
The truth about Google Ads recommendations (and auto-apply)
Understand how to use Google Ads recommendations so you can spot what helps, ignore what doesn’t, and keep your account safe.
How Pinterest’s ad formats work and when to use each one
Get a clear breakdown of Pinterest’s ad lineup, what each format delivers, and how to align them with specific campaign goals in 2026.
Google launches Data Manager API
Google’s new Data Manager API gives advertisers a simpler, centralized way to feed first-party data into its AI systems.
AI tools for PPC, AI search, and social campaigns: What’s worth using now
The tools driving creative, workflow automation, and search visibility in performance marketing – plus guidance for choosing the right stack.
Think different: The Positionless Marketing manifesto
Assembly-line methods put marketers in a box. Technology removed it - marketers haven't noticed.
Google denies ads are coming to Gemini in 2026
Google's Dan Taylor ripped the story, saying 'there are no ads in the Gemini app and there are no current plans to change that.'
Google Shopping Ads now show merchant location labels
Google’s new merchant location labels in Shopping ads give retailers a visibility boost by highlighting their city or town, helping drive more local foot traffic.
OpenAI says ChatGPT ‘ads’ weren’t ads
ChatGPT execs said the ads were 'either not real or not ads' before admitting the company 'fell short' with an app suggestion feature.
How to use proxy metrics to speed up optimization in complex B2B journeys
Use high-fidelity micro-conversions to tighten feedback loops, sharpen bidding, and keep long-cycle campaigns from drifting off course.
Elevate your expertise: Submit a compelling session proposal for SMX Advanced
SMX Advanced returns June 3-5. Learn what we’re looking for in session pitches, and how to submit a compelling session proposal.
Google tests regional member pricing in Shopping Ads
Google is testing a new Shopping ads beta that lets merchants show region-specific loyalty prices, helping retailers localize promotions.
Ecommerce PPC: 4 takeaways that shape how campaigns perform
Dive into PMax essentials, Amazon’s conversion insights, social audience building, and the dashboards that improve decisions.
Google’s proposed ad tech fixes face EU scrutiny
Stakeholders are reviewing Google’s proposed changes as the EU weighs whether they’re enough to restore fair competition.
Meta: Native Reels ads can lift purchase intent 5.3x
Meta’s latest research shows that Reels ads designed natively for the platform can significantly boost purchase intent, and brand interest.
AI Max undermines match-type control
AI Max quietly turns all keywords into broad match and blurs reporting, making it harder for advertisers to see what’s really driving their results.