Pay per Click advertising (PPC) is sold at an auction. You bid what you want to pay for an ad, the higher the bid the more effective your result will be.

PPC helps with Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), on search results pages such as Yahoo, Google or Bing.

Unlike “natural” search results, pay per click is powered by a combination of keywords, link building and aims to really push your website to the top with SEO. Pay per click advertising is good because it can generate quality traffic to your site, if you are using the correct key phrases and a well-written placed ad. It is also fast and traffic can be generated within a few minutes of opening the account.
However, PPC advertising can be extremely expensive and you can get caught up in “ego-bidding” where you pay much more than what the key phrase is worth.

The ugly part is that PPC stretches across the internet. This includes the deepest, darkest places, leaving no corner unturned. You may therefore get spam linking to you PPC ads.

Difference between “Natural” and PPC searches

Natural search engine optimisation tends to be PR-based and is a long-term strategy to grow your brand and image. Meanwhile PPC advertising is paid advertising, with a short and rapid goal in mind.