SEOPay Per Click Search Engines (CPC/PPC)

Pay Per Click Search Engines (CPC/PPC)

A list of pay per click search engines where you can pay to be ranked more highly in the results.

The services listed below generally sell paid listings on a cost-per-click or CPC basis. They are also sometimes called PPC or pay per click search engines. Advertisers pay for every click the search engine sends them, and those who pay the most generally get listed higher.

Major Pay Per Click Search EnginesMajor Second Tier PPC Players
Other Notable ServicesMore Pay Per Click Resources

Major Pay Per Click Search Engines

Google AdWords
https://adwords.google.com

The Google AdWords program places paid listings within Google’s search results, as well as on some other sites that carry its listings (see the Who Powers Whom? – Search Providers Chart for a rundown of major partnerships). Winner of best paid placement service in the 4th Annual Search Engine Watch Awards.

Search Engine Watch’s Submitting Via Paid Listings: Overture & Google AdWords page provides basic tips on getting starting with Google AdWords.

Search Engine Watch members have access to the How Google Works area, which provides in-depth coverage of Google’s paid listings program. Learn more about becoming a member on the membership information page.

Overture
http://www.overture.com/

Overture is the oldest major paid placement search engine. It distributes its listings to a wide-range of search engines, including that of its owner, Yahoo (see the Who Powers Whom? – Search Providers Chart for a rundown of major partnerships). Overture launched as GoTo in 1997 and incorporated the former University of Colorado-based World Wide Web Worm. In February 1998, it shifted to its pay-for-placement model. The company changed its name from GoTo to Overture in October 2001. It was purchased by Yahoo in October 2003. Overture was second place for best paid placement service in the 4th Annual Search Engine Watch Awards.

Search Engine Watch’s Submitting Via Paid Listings: Overture & Google AdWords page provides basic tips on getting starting with paid listings at Overture.

Search Engine Watch members have access to the How Overture Works area, which provides in-depth coverage of how cost-per-click ads can be placed with Overture. Learn more about becoming a member on the membership information page.

Major Second Tier PPC Players

Espotting.com
http://www.espotting.com/

Major paid placement service with wide distribution in the United Kingdom and Europe. It merged with FindWhat (below) in July 2004 and operates as a division of that company. Honorable mention for best paid placement service in the 4th Annual Search Engine Watch Awards.

FindWhat.com
http://www.findwhat.com/

FindWhat is an important paid placement service in particular because the company has distribution on many major meta search engines. Honorable mention for best paid placement service in the 4th Annual Search Engine Watch Awards.

LookSmart LookListings
http://listings.looksmart.com/

Provides both PPC-based paid inclusion listings and more traditional PPC-based paid placement listings that have wide distribution on second tier search engines and meta search engines

Other Notable Services

More Pay Per Click Resources

  • PayPerClickAnalyst.com: Long-standing site with reviews of major pay-per-click search engines, along with news about changes to them.
  • PayPerClickSearchEngines.com: Another long-standing guide to paid placement search engines, with links to articles and resources about dealing with them.
  • Search Engine Advertising: Compilation of general articles about how search engines sell listings-based ad units, as paid placement and paid inclusion.
  • Search Engine Advertising Articles: Compilation of articles from Search Engine Watch and around the web offering specific tips and advice on getting more out of paid placement and paid inclusion listings on search engines. Only available to Search Engine Watch members.

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