Google’s PPC Marketing programme

One of the original forms of online advertising. It has declined in popularity with the rise of PPC Marketing which generally offers far better targeting and hence cost effectiveness.

Computer program/s used to help automate the bidding process for keywords.

Usually the ‘end page’ after a browser has successfully interacted with a website. I.e. when a sale has completed or a form has been submitted. Useful for PPC Marketing purposes.

Sponsored links that appear next to related non-search-engine-generated content, such as news articles. (See ‘AdSense’).

A ratio calculation expressed as a percentage which contrasts website visitors to purchase made.

The average cost per acquisition. This is calculated by dividing total click costs by the number of conversions.

See ‘Pay Per Click (PPC) Marketing’.

Similar to ‘Cost Per Acquisition (CPA)’ (see separate entry) but for websites whose business model is not based on online sales.

The website address which the PPC Marketing advert is hyperlinked to. Also known as the ‘landing page’.

The website address which is shown in the PPC Marketing advert.

When an online advert is viewed on a browsers PC. This forms the basis of banner advertising and lacks the targeting afforded by PPC Marketing.

The word/s a browser inputs into a search engine. Also know as "search terms".

The designated page on a website which relates to a hyperlink. Also known as ‘destination URL’.

The starting bid price.

Formerly known as ‘espotting’, one of the leading providers of PPC Marketing in the UK and Europe.

The list of websites shown by a search engine that are not as a result of a payment. (These appear on the left-hand side in Google). Also known as "organic", "natural" or "algorithmic" search results.

An all encompassing term that describes all marketing initiatives made using the internet. This includes PPC Marketing and banner ads.

See ‘Online Advertising’.

The position you would like your keywords to maintain or the position at which you receive the highest return on investment.

The list of websites found when using a search engine such as Google. This is complied on an automated basis by the search engine’s algorithmic spiders. Also sometimes known as "natural" or "algorithm" search results.

A facility offered by some search engines whereby a website is listed as part of the organic results.

See ‘PPC Marketing’.

The dominant form of online marketing accounting for half of all UK internet advertising spend (2005). As it is search engine, ‘keyword’ based, it is highly targeted. An advertiser incurs a fee when an interested browser clicks on the placed advert. Bidding for keywords follows the model of a Vickrey second price auction, involving the submission of sealed bids. In Google, click-through-rates are also taken into account when determining bid price. Also known as ‘Cost Per Click’ Marketing.

A ratio which contrasts advertising spend with expenditure.

A generic ratio sometimes applied to PPC Marketing campaigns. See ‘Return On Advertising Spend (ROAS)’.

A website directory, such as Google or Yahoo.

The promotion of a website via a search engine.

The automated internet searching ‘robots’ used by search engines such as Google or Yahoo.

See ‘keyword’.

The heading under which ‘PPC Marketing’ adverts often appear on a website.

A html string inserted into a website, usually the website so you may track visitors and conversions on your website.

Yahoo’s PPC Marketing programme formerly known as ‘Overture’.