Online advertising and campaigns

Online advertising means paying to be visible where your audience already is: in search results, between videos, in a social feed or on other people's websites. The real difference between channels is not the technology but the moment you reach someone: are they already searching for a solution, or does the need still have to be created?

This page shows which advertising channels exist, what they are good at, how they charge and how to set up a campaign you can judge on results. Each channel has its own page with the details.

Search or discovery: the key choice

Advertising channels fall roughly into two groups:

• Search-driven (harvesting demand) — someone types a query and you appear with an ad. Think Google Ads, Google Shopping and Microsoft Advertising (Bing). Purchase intent is high; volume is limited by how many people search.
• Discovery-driven (creating demand) — the platform shows your ad to people matching a profile or behaviour, without them searching. Think Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest and LinkedIn. Reach is large, but you first have to win attention.

Most businesses that grow seriously combine both: discovery channels make people aware of your brand, search channels catch them when they are ready to choose.

Advertising channels at a glance

How channels charge

• CPC (cost per click) — you pay when someone clicks. Common in search ads.
• CPM (cost per 1,000 impressions) — you pay for reach. Common in social and video.
• CPV (cost per view) — in video, for example when someone watches long enough or interacts.
• CPA / CPS (cost per action or sale) — you only pay for a result. Common in affiliate marketing.

In auction-based channels you usually set a budget and a bidding strategy; the system determines the final price per click or impression. What you actually pay depends on competition, relevance and ad quality. So judge on cost per result, not click price. The ad calculator shows what a campaign could deliver at your conversion rate, order value and margin.

Setting up a campaign you can judge

1. Define the goal in business terms. Not "more clicks", but enquiries, sales or meetings, and what one result may cost at most.
2. Choose channels by intent. Are people already searching for what you offer? Start with search. Is your offer new or visual? Discovery channels make more sense. Channel choice helps.
3. Get measurement right first. Conversion tracking, consent mode and server-side signals where possible. Without reliable signals, algorithms optimise on noise.
4. Make creative per channel. A search ad is text answering a question; a TikTok ad is a video that must win attention within two seconds. Running the same image everywhere rarely works.
5. Make sure the landing page matches. Same promise as the ad, fast, clear and with one logical next step. See conversion optimisation.
6. Give the system learning time and budget. Too many campaigns with too little budget each produce too little data to steer on.
7. Compare with your own numbers. Every platform credits conversions to itself. Put results next to your CRM, webshop or accounts.

Automation: what you still steer

Almost every platform is moving to automated campaigns: Performance Max at Google, Advantage+ at Meta, Smart+ at TikTok and Performance+ at Pinterest. The system then picks audiences, placements and combinations. That works well when it gets the right signals. Your control shifts from settings to input:

• the offer and proposition;
• the variety and quality of your creative;
• the quality of your conversion data (and which conversions you set as goals);
• exclusions, budget split and a critical look at what the platform reports.

Rules that apply to every channel

• No personalised ads to minors. Under the EU Digital Services Act, platforms may not show minors ads based on profiling.
• Consent for tracking. Cookies and pixels that process personal data require consent; set up measurement accordingly.
• Special categories. Ads about jobs, housing, credit or social issues have more limited targeting and extra verification on Meta and other platforms.
• Platform ad policies. Every platform reviews ads first; some sectors (health, finance, gambling, alcohol) have extra rules.

Want to know more about a specific channel?

Pick the channel above that fits your goal, or first read about the media mix and online marketing channels to see how advertising works with SEO, content, email and social. Unsure which route delivers most? In a strategy session we look at your situation together.

Frequently asked questions about online advertising

What is the difference between search advertising and social advertising?

Search advertising shows ads to people actively searching, as in Google or Bing. Social advertising shows ads to people in a feed based on profile and behaviour, without them searching. Search harvests existing demand; social creates new demand.

Which advertising channel should I start with?

If people already search for what you offer, search advertising is usually the most direct start. If your offer is visual, impulse-driven or new, Meta, TikTok or Pinterest make more sense. For business decision-makers LinkedIn is often more precise.

How much budget do I need to advertise?

It depends on what a result costs in your market. Work backwards: how many conversions do you need to learn and steer, and what may one conversion cost? Too little budget spread over too many campaigns teaches you little.

Why don't the numbers in Google Ads and Meta match my own?

Each platform uses its own attribution window and credits conversions to itself, even when a customer came through several channels. Platforms also miss data when people refuse cookies. Always compare with your own source, such as your CRM or webshop.

What is the difference between advertising and affiliate marketing?

With advertising you pay the platform for clicks or impressions, regardless of results. With affiliate marketing you usually pay partners (publishers) a commission only when a sale or lead happens.

Do automated campaigns like Performance Max and Advantage+ work better?

Often, provided the system gets enough conversions and good signals. With little data or poor measurement they optimise for the wrong things. Keep an eye on search terms, placements and lead quality yourself.