{"id":186427,"date":"2025-03-21T09:06:22","date_gmt":"2025-03-21T14:06:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/?p=186427"},"modified":"2025-03-21T09:25:13","modified_gmt":"2025-03-21T14:25:13","slug":"search-engine-ads","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/search-engine-ads\/","title":{"rendered":"Search Engine Ads Explained in 10 Minutes (with Expert Tips)"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"intro-txt\">\n<p>Search engine advertising (also called pay-per-click, PPC or SEA) offers a direct path to website visitors, but is it the right choice for you? This guide breaks down what beginners need to know before investing in search ads.<\/p>\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"><\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"intro-tok\" id=\"intro_tok\" style=\"display:none;\"><div class=\"intro-title\">Contents<\/div><a href=\"#\" class=\"expand-dots\"><span><\/span><span><\/span><span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"What are search engine ads?\" data-section=\"what-are-search-engine-ads\">\n<h2><a id=\"post-186427-_vfugvpi48zln\"><\/a>What are search engine ads?<\/h2>\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Search engine advertising involves paying platforms like Google, Bing, or Yahoo to display your ads when people search for keywords you pay for. Unlike organic search results (<a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/pl\">SEO<\/a>), which take time to build, search ads appear almost instantly at the top of search results pages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Google alone offers several types of search advertising options:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Search Campaigns<\/strong>: Text ads on Google Search.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Shopping Campaigns<\/strong>: Product ads on Google Shopping, dedicated for e-commerce.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Video Campaigns<\/strong>: Video ads on YouTube.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Performance Max Campaigns<\/strong>: Automated campaigns across all of Google\u2019s networks, including Google Maps, Discover and&nbsp;Gmail.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Local Services Ads: <\/strong>Connect local service providers directly with potential customers searching for their services on Google.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Ads can also look slightly different depending on the search engine. Here\u2019s a keyword that triggers two types of ads on Google: regular text ads and shopping ads showing products directly from advertisers\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/retail\/\">merchant center<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1199\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/search-ads-in-google.png\" alt=\"Search ads in Google \" class=\"wp-image-186428\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/search-ads-in-google.png 2048w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/search-ads-in-google-680x398.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/search-ads-in-google-768x450.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/search-ads-in-google-1536x899.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>And here\u2019s the same search term on&nbsp;Bing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1030\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/search-ads-in-bing.png\" alt=\"Search ads in Bing \" class=\"wp-image-186429\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/search-ads-in-bing.png 2048w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/search-ads-in-bing-680x342.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/search-ads-in-bing-768x386.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/search-ads-in-bing-1536x773.png 1536w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/search-ads-in-bing-400x200.png 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"How do search engine ads work?\" data-section=\"how-do-search-engine-ads-work\">\n<h2><a id=\"post-186427-_8955av8ioe2x\"><\/a>How do search engine ads&nbsp;work?<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Setting up a search engine advertising campaign will differ depending on the ad type, but here are the core mechanics, in a nutshell:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Select <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/what-are-keywords\/\"><strong>keywords<\/strong><\/a> relevant to your business.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Create ad copy<\/strong> that will appear when someone searches those keywords.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Set a budget<\/strong> <strong>and bid amount <\/strong>(how much you\u2019re willing to pay per&nbsp;click).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Your ads are shown when someone searches for your keywords and your ad wins the auction. <\/strong>The ad platform, e.g. Google, runs an instant auction whenever someone searches. It determines which ads to show based mostly on your bid amount and the relevance of your ad and landing page (the page visitors see after clicking your&nbsp;ad).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>You pay only when someone clicks<\/strong> on your ad (hence \u201cpay-per-click\u201d).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>You track performance<\/strong> and optimize for better results.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"When search ads might be right for you\" data-section=\"when-search-ads-might-be-right-for-you\">\n<h2><a id=\"post-186427-_upsvypn11paa\"><\/a>When search advertising might be right for&nbsp;you<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The first thing you need to check is whether your audience uses search engines like Google to look for what you offer. You can do that for free with the tool below - just type in the kind of product\/service you offer or problem that your business solves and look at the search volume ( estimates the number of people searching for that term in Google each&nbsp;month):<\/p>\n\n\n\n        <div class=\"tool-widget-outer\">\n            <div class=\"tool-widget\">\n                <div class=\"body\">\n                    <div class=\"title\">Keyword Generator<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t                        <div class=\"heading\">Find thousands of keyword ideas in seconds<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t                    <div class=\"icon  icon-keyword-generator\"><\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                <form action=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/keyword-generator\" method=\"GET\">\n                    <div class=\"form\">\n                        <input type=\"text\" class=\"input\" name=\"input\" placeholder=\"Enter keyword\" required>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t        <select name=\"country\" class=\"country-choice\" required>\n\t\t\t                <option value=\"af\">Afghanistan<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"al\">Albania<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"dz\">Algeria<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"as\">American Samoa<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ad\">Andorra<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ao\">Angola<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ai\">Anguilla<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ag\">Antigua And Barbuda<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ar\">Argentina<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"am\">Armenia<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"aw\">Aruba<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"au\">Australia<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"at\">Austria<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"az\">Azerbaijan<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"bs\">Bahamas<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"bh\">Bahrain<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"bd\">Bangladesh<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"bb\">Barbados<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"by\">Belarus<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"be\">Belgium<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"bz\">Belize<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"bj\">Benin<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"bm\">Bermuda<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"bt\">Bhutan<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"bo\">Bolivia<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ba\">Bosnia And Herzegovina<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"bw\">Botswana<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"br\">Brazil<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"bn\">Brunei Darussalam<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"bg\">Bulgaria<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"bf\">Burkina Faso<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"bi\">Burundi<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"kh\">Cambodia<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"cm\">Cameroon<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ca\">Canada<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"cv\">Cape Verde<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ky\">Cayman Islands<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"cf\">Central African Republic<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"td\">Chad<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"cl\">Chile<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"cn\">China<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"co\">Colombia<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"cg\">Congo<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"cd\">Congo, Democratic Republic<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ck\">Cook Islands<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"cr\">Costa Rica<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ci\">Cote D'Ivoire<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"hr\">Croatia<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"cu\">Cuba<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"cy\">Cyprus<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"cz\">Czech Republic<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"dk\">Denmark<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"dj\">Djibouti<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"dm\">Dominica<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"do\">Dominican Republic<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ec\">Ecuador<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"eg\">Egypt<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"sv\">El Salvador<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"gq\">Equatorial Guinea<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ee\">Estonia<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"et\">Ethiopia<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"fo\">Faroe Islands<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"fj\">Fiji<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"fi\">Finland<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"fr\">France<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"gf\">French Guiana<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"pf\">French Polynesia<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ga\">Gabon<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"gm\">Gambia<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ge\">Georgia<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"de\">Germany<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"gh\">Ghana<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"gi\">Gibraltar<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"gr\">Greece<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"gl\">Greenland<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"gd\">Grenada<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"gp\">Guadeloupe<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"gu\">Guam<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"gt\">Guatemala<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"gg\">Guernsey<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"gn\">Guinea<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"gy\">Guyana<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ht\">Haiti<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"hn\">Honduras<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"hk-hk\">Hong Kong<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"hk\">Hong Kong<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"hu\">Hungary<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"is\">Iceland<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"in\">India<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"id\">Indonesia<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ir\">Iran<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"iq\">Iraq<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ie\">Ireland<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"im\">Isle of Man<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"il\">Israel<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"it\">Italy<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"jm\">Jamaica<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"jp\">Japan<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"je\">Jersey<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"jo\">Jordan<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"kz\">Kazakhstan<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ke\">Kenya<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ki\">Kiribati<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"kr\">Korea<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"kw\">Kuwait<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"kg\">Kyrgyzstan<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"la\">Lao People's Democratic Republic<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"lv\">Latvia<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"lb\">Lebanon<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ls\">Lesotho<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"lr\">Liberia<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ly\">Libyan Arab Jamahiriya<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"li\">Liechtenstein<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"lt\">Lithuania<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"lu\">Luxembourg<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"mk\">Macedonia<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"mg\">Madagascar<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"mw\">Malawi<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"my\">Malaysia<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"mv\">Maldives<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ml\">Mali<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"mt\">Malta<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"mq\">Martinique<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"mr\">Mauritania<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"mu\">Mauritius<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"yt\">Mayotte<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"mx\">Mexico<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"fm\">Micronesia, Federated States of<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"md\">Moldova<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"mc\">Monaco<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"mn\">Mongolia<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"me\">Montenegro<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ms\">Montserrat<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ma\">Morocco<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"mz\">Mozambique<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"mm\">Myanmar<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"na\">Namibia<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"nr\">Nauru<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"np\">Nepal<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"nl\">Netherlands<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"nc\">New Caledonia<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"nz\">New Zealand<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ni\">Nicaragua<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ne\">Niger<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ng\">Nigeria<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"nu\">Niue<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"no\">Norway<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"om\">Oman<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"pk\">Pakistan<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"pw\">Palau<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ps\">Palestine, State of<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"pa\">Panama<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"pg\">Papua New Guinea<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"py\">Paraguay<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"pe\">Peru<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ph\">Philippines<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"pn\">Pitcairn<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"pl\">Poland<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"pt\">Portugal<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"pr\">Puerto Rico<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"qa\">Qatar<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ye\">Republic of Yemen<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"re\">Reunion<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ro\">Romania<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ru\">Russian Federation<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"rw\">Rwanda<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"sh\">Saint Helena<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"kn\">Saint Kitts and Nevis<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"lc\">Saint Lucia<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"vc\">Saint Vincent And Grenadines<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ws\">Samoa<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"sm\">San Marino<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"st\">Sao Tome and Principe<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"sa\">Saudi Arabia<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"sn\">Senegal<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"rs\">Serbia<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"sc\">Seychelles<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"sl\">Sierra Leone<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"sg\">Singapore<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"sk\">Slovakia<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"si\">Slovenia<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"sb\">Solomon Islands<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"so\">Somalia<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"za\">South Africa<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"es\">Spain<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"lk\">Sri Lanka<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"sr\">Suriname<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"sz\">Swaziland<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"se\">Sweden<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ch\">Switzerland<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"sy\">Syrian Arab Republic<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"tw\">Taiwan<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"tj\">Tajikistan<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"tz\">Tanzania<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"th\">Thailand<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"tl\">Timor-Leste<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"tg\">Togo<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"tk\">Tokelau<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"to\">Tonga<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"tt\">Trinidad And Tobago<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"tn\">Tunisia<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"tr\">Turkey<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"tm\">Turkmenistan<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"tv\">Tuvalu<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ug\">Uganda<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ua\">Ukraine<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ae\">United Arab Emirates<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"gb\">United Kingdom<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"us\" selected=\"selected\">United States<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"uy\">Uruguay<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"uz\">Uzbekistan<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"vu\">Vanuatu<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"ve\">Venezuela<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"vn\">Vietnam<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"vg\">Virgin Islands, British<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"vi\">Virgin Islands, U.S.<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"zm\">Zambia<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t                <option value=\"zw\">Zimbabwe<\/option>&gt;\n\t\t\t\t        <\/select>\n\t\t                        <button type=\"submit\" class=\"button\">Find keywords<\/button>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/form>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n<p>But that\u2019s not all. Additionally, search ads can work well&nbsp;if:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>You need immediate visibility<\/strong>: You\u2019re launching a new product or promotion that needs attention right&nbsp;away.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>You have good profit margins<\/strong>: Your products\/services can absorb the advertising costs while maintaining profitability.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>You can track conversions effectively<\/strong>: If you know that the path from visitor to customer is long and requires multiple touchpoints, as is often the case with B2B businesses, it may be harder to track your return on ad&nbsp;spend.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>You need to test quickly<\/strong>: You want to experiment with different messaging or landing pages.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>You face SEO challenges with certain keywords<\/strong>: If you\u2019re finding it difficult to rank organically for certain keywords, for example due to high keyword difficulty, but those keywords are affordable to target with ads, consider using paid search advertising. <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/webmaster-tools\">Ahrefs\u2019 free Webmaster Tools<\/a> can help you identify such opportunities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1245\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/ahrefs-organic-keywords-report.png\" alt=\"Ahrefs Organic Keywords Report \" class=\"wp-image-186430\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/ahrefs-organic-keywords-report.png 2048w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/ahrefs-organic-keywords-report-680x413.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/ahrefs-organic-keywords-report-768x467.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/ahrefs-organic-keywords-report-1536x934.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Search engine ads: pros and cons\" data-section=\"search-engine-ads-pros-and-cons\">\n<h2><a id=\"post-186427-_lv1a5tevfotb\"><\/a>Search engine ads: pros and&nbsp;cons<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Even if search ads sound like a great choice, you need to be aware of the downsides:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-390\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-390 tablepress-responsive tablepress-ahrefs-width-full\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1 odd\">\n\t<th class=\"column-1\">Pros<\/th><th class=\"column-2\">Cons<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr class=\"row-2 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Ads can appear at the top of search results within hours of the campaign launch.<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">High cost for competitive keywords.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Precise targeting: Show your ads only to people searching specific terms.<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Ads stop appearing when your budget runs out; there\u2019s no lasting asset being&nbsp;built.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Budget control: Set daily limits and never spend more than planned.<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Must continuously refine ads to avoid wasted spend.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Complement to SEO: Can work alongside organic search strategies.<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Poor setup or irrelevant keywords can waste money quickly.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-6 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Measurable ROI: Track exactly how much you\u2019re spending per conversion.<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Ad blindness: Some users automatically skip ads due to \u2018banner blindness\u2019.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-7 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Geographic precision: Target customers in specific locations, from countries to neighborhoods.<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Click fraud potential: Risk of competitors or bots clicking your ads to deplete your budget.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<!-- #tablepress-390 from cache -->\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Are my competitors running search ads?\" data-section=\"are-my-competitors-running-search-ads\">\n<h2><a id=\"post-186427-_nfz0lg38rk4x\"><\/a>Are my competitors running search ads?<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>If your competitors are running search ads, usually it\u2019s a strong indication that you should do the same. Tools like Ahrefs can help you find out if that\u2019s the case \u2014 specifically, you&nbsp;can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Identify which competitors are running ads.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>See which keywords they\u2019re bidding on.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Analyze their ad copy and landing pages.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Estimate their ad spend and strategy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>You can see all of the above in <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/site-explorer\">Ahrefs\u2019 Site Explorer.<\/a> Enter your competitor\u2019s domain, go to the Paid keywords tab and explore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"991\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/ahrefs-paid-keywords-report.jpg\" alt=\"Ahrefs Paid Keywords Report \" class=\"wp-image-186431\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/ahrefs-paid-keywords-report.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/ahrefs-paid-keywords-report-680x329.jpg 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/ahrefs-paid-keywords-report-768x372.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/ahrefs-paid-keywords-report-1536x743.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"How much should you spend on ads?\" data-section=\"how-much-should-you-spend-on-ads\">\n<h2><a id=\"post-186427-_5p4mvqejpm33\"><\/a>How much should you spend on&nbsp;ads?<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Your initial budget depends on several factors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Industry averages<\/strong>: Find out the typical cost-per-click (CPC) in your industry. You can use Google\u2019s free Keyword Planner.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Profit margins<\/strong>: Calculate how much you can spend while maintaining profitability.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Testing budget<\/strong>: Start small to test before scaling up.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s a simple ROI calculation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Average CPC: $2.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Conversion rate: 5% (1 in 20 clicks becomes a customer).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cost per acquisition: $40 ($2 \u00d7 20 clicks).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Customer lifetime value: $200.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>ROI: 400% (($200 \u00f7 $40) \u00d7 100 = 500%, minus your 100% investment).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Which search engine ads should you choose?\" data-section=\"which-search-engine-ads-should-you-choose\">\n<h2><a id=\"post-186427-_ji293z9h3n6l\"><\/a>Which search engine ads should you choose?<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The one pretty much everyone uses is Google Ads simply because Google is the most popular search engine (<a href=\"https:\/\/gs.statcounter.com\/search-engine-market-share\">90% market share<\/a>). But there are other options that can complement Google Ads or even substitute it in some&nbsp;cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-391\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-391 tablepress-responsive tablepress-ahrefs-width-full\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1 odd\">\n\t<th class=\"column-1\">Platform<\/th><th class=\"column-2\">Best For<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr class=\"row-2 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Google Ads<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">All-purpose reach; global or local businesses; B2C and B2B markets.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">YouTube Ads<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Brand awareness, younger consumers, visual storytelling.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Microsoft Ads (Bing)<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Cost-effective additional reach; older, higher-income demographics; U.S. market.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Yahoo Ads<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Supplemental reach within Bing campaigns; reaching users of Yahoo\u2019s news and finance portals.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-6 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">DuckDuckGo Ads<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Privacy-conscious, tech-savvy niche audiences; low competition.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-7 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Amazon Ads<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">E-commerce and direct-to-consumer product sales.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-8 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Baidu Ads<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">China market.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<!-- #tablepress-391 from cache -->\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"How to get started\" data-section=\"how-to-get-started\">\n<h2><a id=\"post-186427-_10hcjzfbx9dz\"><\/a>How to get started<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Start with a simple experiment to test what works before scaling up. Here\u2019s a simple action plan for Google Ads I\u2019ve consulted on with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/jaimon-hancock\/\">Jaimon Hancock<\/a>, Founder of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adalystic.com\">Adalystic Marketing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Set up <a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/google-ads\/answer\/1722022?hl=en#:~:text=You%20can%20use%20conversion%20tracking,Google%20Ads%20tracks%20website%20conversions.\">conversion tracking<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pick one to product\/service (or a few if you offer a large inventory).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Choose targeting: Inexpensive <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/long-tail-keywords\/\">long-tail keywords<\/a> (typically more specific and less popular but with higher intent) or if you\u2019re in ecommerce, automate the process with <a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/google-ads\/answer\/7684791?hl=en\">Responsive Search Ads<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Double-check to exclude irrelevant keywords using the <a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/google-ads\/answer\/2453972?hl=en\">negative keywords feature<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Provide a variety of headlines and descriptions for Google to&nbsp;test.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use the \u201cobservation\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/google-ads\/answer\/7365594?hl=en\">setting<\/a> to get more insights from the experiment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use a dedicated landing page with a clear&nbsp;CTA.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Once you start seeing results, dig into performance by device, region, demographics, and time of day to refine your targeting.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Google Ads are quite straightforward to set up but it won\u2019t hurt to watch an overview of the process like this one: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=16-dF2p0kKo\">Google Ads Tutorial for Beginners [Updated for&nbsp;2025]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Key terms to know\" data-section=\"key-terms-to-know\">\n<h2><a id=\"post-186427-_bqwdij52ezrv\"><\/a>Key terms to&nbsp;know<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>CTR (Click-Through Rate)<\/strong>: Percentage of impressions that result in clicks (higher is better).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>ROAS (Return on Ad Spend)<\/strong>: Revenue generated per dollar spent on&nbsp;ads.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>CPC (Cost Per Click)<\/strong>: Average amount you pay for each&nbsp;click.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Conversion<\/strong>: Desired action taken by a visitor (purchase, sign-up, download).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Quality Score<\/strong>: Google\u2019s rating of your keywords and ads (affects costs and positioning).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ad Rank<\/strong>: Determines your ad position (calculated from bid, quality, and expected impact).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Match Types<\/strong>:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Broad Match<\/strong>: Shows for varied related searches (widest reach).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Phrase Match<\/strong>: Triggers when search includes your keyword phrase.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Exact Match<\/strong>: Shows only for searches very close to your exact keyword.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Retargeting<\/strong>: Showing ads to previous website visitors.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Negative Keywords<\/strong>: Terms that prevent your ad from showing (reduces wasted spend).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Expert tips for search ad success\" data-section=\"expert-tips-for-search-ad-success\">\n<h2><a id=\"post-186427-_vg984vle2cvg\"><\/a>Bonus: expert tips for search ad success<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>I reached out to over a hundred marketers and business owners to uncover their best advice for beginners. I asked them two questions: What\u2019s the #1 tip they\u2019d give to someone just starting with search ads? And what\u2019s the one thing they wish they had known when they first started? Here are some of my favorite quotes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\">\n\n\n\n<p><strong>My #1 tip is to spy on your competitors to see if they\u2019re running search engine ads and what\u2019s their strategy<\/strong>. I like to do this through a quick search on Google to see what type of messaging they\u2019re using and if they are running search engine ads. If they are then chances are these ads are working for them and it\u2019s a good sign they can work for you,&nbsp;too.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><div class=\"quote-photo\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Kat Sulkova\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Kat-Sulkova.png\"><\/div><div class=\"extra-box\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Kat Sulkova,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">Owner, <a href=\"https:\/\/paperboss.com.au\/\" target=\"_blank\">Paper Boss<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\">\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Google\u2019s default settings are quietly working against you<\/strong>. Initially, I didn\u2019t question things like \u201cSearch Partners\u201d or \u201cDisplay Expansion.\u201d When I turned those off and narrowed our targeting to exact match keywords only, we noticed a significant difference - conversion rates increased by 40% and bounce rates went down overnight. And here\u2019s my number one piece of advice for anyone starting out with search ads: create a negative keyword list before spending any money. After adding over 500 negative keywords, we stopped spending advertising budgets on people who were never going to convert.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><div class=\"quote-photo\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Wojciech Ratajczak\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/ratajczak.jpeg\"><\/div><div class=\"extra-box\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Wojciech Ratajczak,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">CEO, <a href=\"https:\/\/essayservice.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">EssayService<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\"> \n\n\n\n<p><strong>Branded search keywords must have their own campaigns with separate budgets.<\/strong> I began by mixing branded and general search keywords, making measuring performance nearly impossible. Branded terms will always convert higher and cheaper, skewing the data and concealing the actual performance of non-branded keywords. (\u2026) <strong>Track calls from day one with call tracking numbers. <\/strong>Search ads that look like underperformers may be your best performers when call conversions are correctly attributed. We added call tracking and found these so-called \u201cfailing\u201d campaigns produced twice as many phone leads as our \u201csuccessful\u201d campaigns \u2014 leads that closed at a 40% higher rate.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Erik Wright,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">Founder &amp; CEO, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newhorizonhomebuyers.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">New Horizon Home Buyers<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\"> Long-tail keywords often outperform short-tail ones.\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The most expensive keyword isn\u2019t always the most profitable<\/strong>. At our company, we used to chase high-volume, high cost-per-click (CPC) short tail, buzz keywords thinking they\u2019d convert best. The truth is that long-tail, high-intent queries converted more often \u2014 and they cost us less than many short-tail, high-volume keywords.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><div class=\"quote-photo\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Aaron Wertheimer\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Aaron-Wertheimer-headshot.jpg\"><\/div><div class=\"extra-box\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Aaron Wertheimer,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">Copywriter Specialist, <a href=\"https:\/\/marketing-reel.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Marketing Reel<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\"> Regular optimizations can improve conversion rates.\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The amount of tuning and tweaking that goes into these campaigns is one thing I wish I had known sooner<\/strong>. For instance, we observed a 20% decrease in cost-per-click and a 25% rise in click-through rates following modifications to our ad wording and testing of various bidding tactics. What suits one company may not suit another, so do not be scared to try new things and make adjustments.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><div class=\"quote-photo\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Wes Wakefield\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Wes-Wakefield-Headshot.jpg\"><\/div><div class=\"extra-box\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Wes Wakefield,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">Founder, <a href=\"https:\/\/procoffeegear.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Pro Coffee Gear<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\"> \n\n\n\n<p><strong>Audience layering<\/strong>: instead of only relying on keywords, integrating first-party data, customer lists, and remarketing audiences to increase efficiency. Seriously, targeting past customers or website visitors can cut acquisition costs by&nbsp;30-50%.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Arham Khan,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">Founder &amp; CEO, <a href=\"https:\/\/pixated.agency\/\" target=\"_blank\">Pixated<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\">\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Paid ads can be used to qualify your [SaaS] onboarding funnel<\/strong> if the CPC is low enough. It\u2019s a faster way to get people to try your product than by doing&nbsp;SEO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><div class=\"quote-photo\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Erica Ylim\u00e4ki\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Trustmary-Erika.jpg\"><\/div><div class=\"extra-box\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Erica Ylim\u00e4ki,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">Growth Marketer, <a href=\"https:\/\/trustmary.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Trustmary<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\">\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Whenever you\u2019re contacted by a Google Ads rep, don\u2019t make any large changes while you\u2019re on the call with them<\/strong>, note everything down instead with the intention to look at it later and always do your own research before making any changes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p> <\/p><\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Nigel Adams,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">Search Marketing Consultant, <a href=\"https:\/\/nigeladamsdigital.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\">Nigel Adams Digital<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-186427-_k66tmod1ouda\"><\/a>Final thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Search engine advertising can be an incredibly powerful tool when used correctly. The key is starting small, testing methodically, and scaling what works. Don\u2019t be discouraged if your first campaigns don\u2019t perform perfectly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember that search ads work best as part of a broader marketing strategy. Consider how they complement your content marketing, social media, email, and other channels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Got questions or comments? Let me know on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/mateusz-makosiewicz\/\">LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Search engine advertising involves paying platforms like Google, Bing, or Yahoo to display your ads when people search for keywords you pay for. Unlike organic search results (SEO), which take time to build, search ads appear almost instantly at the<span class=\"ellipsis\">\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more\">Read more \u203a<\/div>\n<p><!-- end of .read-more --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":159,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[196],"tags":[],"coauthors":[412],"class_list":["post-186427","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-paid-marketing","odd"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Search Engine Ads Explained in 10 Minutes (with Expert Tips)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Curious about search ads? This guide breaks down how they work, when they\u2019re worth it, and expert tips to avoid costly mistakes.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/search-engine-ads\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Search Engine Ads Explained in 10 Minutes (with Expert Tips)\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Curious about search ads? 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