PPC: An Alternate Universe
Physicists tell us that no two listings can occupy the same SERP position at the same time. SEO analysts tell us it takes a lot of time and money to keep a prime location for keywords with heavy competition, and there is a limit to what you can accomplish with keyword-rich content and link-building.
That's where PPC ads in the "Sponsored Links" section of Google come in.
With Google Adwords and other "pay per click" ads, an advertiser's website can show up immediately on page one without any linkbuilding or on-page SEO. PPC ads appear in different areas of Search Engine Result Pages than standard listings. You've probably noticed two differences:
- PPC ads are shorter than unpaid ("organic") listings.
- PPC ads show up as "sponsored links" on the right (and a few on top), with a colored background.
Your PPC ad could show up on the top of all page-one ads for your best search phrase an hour from now
- if your ad is relevant to the keywords you picked to show up for, and
- if you offered to pay enough for each click based on those keywords.
What you pay when people click on your PPC ad is determined by the keyword your ad shows up for, and is called Cost Per Click (CPC).