Google Ads
Advertising
Advertising
Google Ads is Google's advertising platform. You pay to appear in search results, on websites, in Gmail, on YouTube and in Shopping — usually per click.
The best-known part is search: you bid on keywords and pay only when someone clicks. Your cost per click depends on competition and on your quality score, Google's estimate of how well your ad and landing page match the query. Matching better often means paying less for the same position.
There are also campaign types for reach and visuals: Display, YouTube, Shopping for product ads and Performance Max, where Google combines channels and bidding itself. Which fits depends on your goal: someone already searching is further along than someone watching a video.
Google Ads works fastest when the basics are right: measurable conversions, an offer that fits and a page that delivers what the ad promised. Without proper conversion tracking the system optimises for clicks instead of customers.
Tip
Measure what a request or sale is worth, not just clicks and impressions. That way you can see exactly whether your ads pay off.
Related terms
- SEASEA is advertising in search engines: you pay to appear for queries, usually per click.
- Quality scoreQuality score is Google's 1–10 estimate of how relevant your keyword, ad and landing page are. A higher score lowers your cost per click.
- CPCCPC is the price you pay per click on your ad. Your average CPC is ad spend divided by clicks.
- Smart biddingSmart bidding is automated bidding in Google Ads, where the system sets a bid per auction using conversion data and signals like device, location and time.
- Performance MaxPerformance Max is a Google Ads campaign type that covers every channel from one campaign: Search, Shopping, YouTube, Display, Discover, Gmail and Maps.