What is PPC (Pay-Per-Click)?

PPC (Pay-Per-Click) is an online advertising model where you pay a fee each time someone clicks on your ad. It is the fastest way to get your business in front of potential customers who are actively searching for your products or services.

Google Ads is the most common PPC platform, placing your ads at the top of search results for keywords you choose. You set a maximum bid for each click, and Google uses an auction system combining your bid and ad quality to determine placement. Other PPC platforms include Microsoft Advertising (Bing Ads), Meta Ads, and LinkedIn Ads.

The core advantage of PPC is intent. Unlike social media advertising where you interrupt people browsing their feeds, PPC on search engines targets people actively looking for what you sell. A plumber bidding on "emergency plumber near me" reaches someone with an immediate need.

PPC campaigns require ongoing management to perform well. This includes keyword research to find profitable search terms, negative keyword management to block wasted spend, ad copy testing to improve click-through rates, landing page optimisation to convert clicks into leads, and bid management to maintain profitable cost-per-acquisition.

AI-managed PPC takes this further by monitoring campaigns continuously rather than checking in weekly. AI agents can detect wasted spend within hours, pause underperforming keywords automatically, and adjust bids based on real-time conversion data. At Foundry Works, our AI agents review every campaign every four hours while maintaining human approval on all budget decisions.

The cost of PPC varies significantly by industry. Competitive sectors like legal, finance, and insurance can see costs of £5-50 per click, while less competitive niches may pay £0.50-3.00. The key metric is not cost-per-click but return on ad spend (ROAS) — how much revenue you generate for every pound invested.