There are many PPC networks available to modern marketers who want to promote their businesses. Google is the King of pay-per-click advertising, with Adsense and Google Adsense dominating the market.
Which are the best PPC advertising platforms? Is any one of them better than Google or another? Are they worth the effort?
The pay per click market is estimated to be worth more than $109 billion annually by 2021. It is expected to rise to $124 billion after 2022. Covid-19 could not stop the rapid rise in search advertising. Because the PPC advertising platforms offer unparalleled reach for all businesses, big and small.
This list of the best PPC advertising networks, including Google Ads alternatives, will help you weigh your options.
We’ll be looking at everyone, including the big players like Google and Microsoft. This could be the place to find your ideal Google Ads replacement…
What is a PPC Network?
Pay per click ads were originally text results on search engine results pages (e.g. Google or Yahoo). Today, the SERPs paid are only a small portion of all the options.
Many PPC platforms allow you to place your ad on their partner websites, or syndicated search results pages. These ads can take the form:
Text-based search engine results (SERPs).Display banner AdEmbedded videoVideo advertisement within a video (for instance on YouTube).Native advertising content (sponsored Content) In-app advertisingPop up ad in a website/app
Google and other PPC platforms offer almost all these advertising options. Others focus on specific niches such as sponsored content or in-app advertising.
They’re sometimes called pay-per-click networks but this is a misleading name.
These are the most popular PPC bidding options:
Pay per click (CPC)Pay per thousand impressions (CPM)Pay per conversion/acquisition (CPA)
This is just the tip of an iceberg. Facebook and Google offer a wider range of bidding strategies.
This is the list of top PPC advertising networks
Now that you are familiar with the PPC advertising network, it is time to determine which one is best for your specific ad strategy. Google Ads alternatives can offer fewer competitors, lower cost per mouse click, and the possibility to target niche or specific demographics.
This list doesn’t include all the top PPC advertising networks, but it does cover the many options available and what each one can offer.
We’ll start by looking at the big guns…
1. Google Ads
Google has 78% of global market share, which you already know.
Let’s do some math on this, to get an idea of the real value.
Every second, 40,000 searches
It is simply the most popular search engine, and the best way to reach the vast majority of internet users worldwide. With the exception of China which has placed limitations on Google’s services in the People’s Republic, it may be possible.
This is a great way to reach people in your target industry.
This means that it is likely that other people are using it, which can make the CPC extremely expensive for keywords that are competitive.
It is the largest PPC advertising network, but does that mean it is the best? Google offers a great selection of tools, such as Google Analytics or Keyword Planner, to help you make the most of your marketing efforts.
Google’s Display Network, which offers display PPC ads on YouTube, Blogger, and other top-trafficked websites, is also industry-leading.
Pros
Largest global reach
Cons
This is the highest CPC among all ad networks.
2. Microsoft Advertising (Bing Ads).
It’s not necessarily a bad thing to be second. We recently looked at Bing Ads, now known as Microsoft Advertising. We believe there are many benefits to using the second largest PPC platform.
Microsoft Ads is a Google Ads alternative. It offers a lower CPC than Google and has great reach. Microsoft Ads, like Google, offers paid search engine results as well as a variety of sites where you can display your banner, video, or content ads.
While the number of partner websites for display advertising may not be as extensive as Google, you can still advertise on MSN and Yahoo! AOL certainly has its benefits.
Microsoft’s PPC advertising network has another selling point: users are more likely to come from higher-earning backgrounds.
Here are some stats about the Microsoft Ads/Bing Ads network for PPC:
A total of 5.4 billion searches per month are made on the platform
It looks very tempting, if you think about it that way.
Learn more about the Bing/Microsoft Ads PPC Network in our blog post.
Pros
CPCs for PPC networks are relatively low. A third of the global search market share.
Cons
There is not as many display network results to choose from as GoogleStill attracts a high volume of click fraud.
3. Facebook Ads
Facebook Ads is third. It offers a completely different, but still attractive, ad network package. Google Ads and Microsoft Ads both focus on search. Facebook Ads, however, focuses on targeting demographics.
The user does not have to actively search for your ad to activate it. You can instead get your ad noticed on two of the most popular social media platforms.
FacebookInstagram
Advertisements can also be shown in Facebook Messenger or on the Facebook Audience Network. This is mainly focused on ads within apps. This could be a great option if you are an app-based business or have other products that target users of apps.
It’s the option to advertise on Instagram or Facebook that’s really powerful.
Facebook’s algorithms allow you to target specific interests and demographics. Paid ads don’t appear in search results so they look more like native content.
Remember that Facebook Ads and ads on the FB network will need to be very visual. There are no text-only search results. Facebook is about sharing well-structured, clickable content that is easy to understand.
Facebook Ads’ average CPC is lower than Google or Bing. It averages around $1.72.
Pros
Great for targeting specific demographics. Native content ads are very effective.
Cons
Facebook Ads target a wide age range but are increasingly targeting older people (over 30s). While mainly B2C-focused ads are effective, some suggest that B2B ads can also be very effective. Facebook can be controversial and some advertisers have stopped using them at the time this article was written.
4. Linkedin Ads
Linkedin, also known as “Facebook for professionals”, has seen a steady rise in popularity as a PPC platform. You can reach a savvy, educated market, often with strong intent and purchasing power.
You can target specific audiences, just like Facebook. They could be marketing professionals, business owners, or C-level executives. If your business is a B2B service you will likely have heard of Linkedin Ads.
There are many ways that your Linkedin Ads could appear, just like all of the entries in this top ad networks listing so far.
Sponsored posts in the feed
What is the average CPC for Linkedin Ads ads?
Linkedin actually requires a minimum bid to advertise CPC or CPM ads. It is not the ad network that charges the lowest CPC.
They also offer an InMail Cost per Send option with a flat rate per mail sent and received. You can send as little as $0.10c or less.
Linkedin, however, is the best when it comes to audience quality for B2B marketers.
Pros
Access to a large audience of professionalsOptions for native ads (sponsored material)InMail is a great way to do some direct marketing.
Cons
It is not the cheapest CPCO that can be used for B2B marketing
5. Taboola
Taboola is the first dedicated native advertising platform on our list. Their specialty is sponsored content, which can be easily integrated into any list of news articles or content on their partner sites.
It works in the same way as Google Adsense or the Display Network but with a carefully selected list of websites.
What does this mean for marketers?
Taboola can be a cost-effective and affordable way to get your brand noticed on websites such as Forbes, Business Insider or New York Times.
Content must be engaging and convert. This could be a blog post, news article or other content about your product or services.
Pay per click options include CPM and CPC.
Taboola’s average CPC is just a few cents. This makes it one of the most affordable PPC advertising networks.
Taboola is distinguished from Google’s Display Network/Adsense by the fact that all sites in Taboola’s network must be of high quality. Taboola’s network has websites that receive more than one million visits per month. Google Adsense sites, however, can have any traffic.
Pros
This site is ideal for content marketing.
Cons
These types of content can be seen as spammy or intrusive by some.
6. Outbrain
Outbrain, which is actually owned by Taboola, is pretty much the exact same thing. Both are content-focused, and offer a variety of high quality websites.
What is the difference between Outbrain & Taboola?
Taboola websites tend to get more traffic than sites that are linked to industry giants like Forbes.
When it comes to publishing your content, Outbrain is no shirker. Your content will be featured on websites such as The Guardian, CNN and Wired, Conde Nast Traveler, Cosmopolitan, Wired, Wired, Wired, Conde Nast Traveler, Wired, Conde Nast Traveler, Wired, Conde Nast Traveler, Wired, Conde Nast Traveller, and Cosmopolitan.
Outbrain’s average CPC is $0.10c, while reports suggest that it might be $0.45 for Taboola.
Pros
A great selection of publisher sites.
Cons
This type of sponsored content can be found spammy, just like Taboola
7. RevContent
Another content recommendation platform similar to Outbrain and Taboola, this is RevContent. RevContent isn’t able to offer high-end sites but it has a wide reach among US audiences.
They are the fastest-growing native advertising network worldwide, according to their tagline. RevContent is a good choice if you are looking for a platform that can grow and has less competition.
You would expect a PPC network with limited reach to have a low average CPC. According to reports, RevContent’s cost-per-click is approximately $0.44c compared with Taboola’s at $0.44c per Click.
Pros
The fastest-growing native PPC advertising network in the world…No competitionThousands of partner websites available for you to display your content
Cons
RevContent appears to be perceived as spammy ad provider by forums.
8. Reddit Ads
Another social media platform that offers itself as a PPC advertising network? Reddit, a niche platform for advertising, is another option.
Reddit: What is it? Reddit is the largest social network in the world, so if you aren’t familiar with it, you might want to take a look.
It currently has around 330 million active monthly users. Visitors come to the site for everything, from sharing memes to looking into business opportunities. This network has a lot of potential for both B2B and C2C.
Your ad will appear in Reddit posts with the ‘promoted posting’ at the bottom right corner. Your ad will appear at the top of subreddit pages or in the feed as native advertising posts.
Advertising on Reddit is affordable, starting at $1.50 per CPM.
Reddit is a good advertising platform. There are mixed online reviews. Reddit is a great PPC site to add to your list. You can target people by location, community, or interest.
It’s not the most efficient CPC ad network, but it has a lot of potential.
Pros
Relatively cheapGood targeting options
Cons
There are mixed reports on the effectiveness of Reddit ads. It might be more efficient to post your link as an ordinary link in a subreddit related to it without having to pay for it.
9. AdRoll
AdRoll, one of the largest retargeting networks, is an effective tool to drive return visitors or convert interested customers to paying customers.
AdRoll uses AI to understand visitor behavior. It combines your marketing strategy across multiple channels in order to drive engagement via social media, email and your own ecommerce website.
BidiQ is AdRolls’s secret weapon. It analyzes user data across social media platforms and web to help you target the right audience at the lowest price. AdRoll can be used to target customers with personalized emails, which is often regarded as a key strategy for conversion.
Dynamic ads are a way for advertisers to harness the power and potential of dynamic ads. These ads pop up after you have searched for something similar. These ads are quite effective, despite being a little scary for some.
AdRoll is an excellent option if you are looking to unify your targeting strategy.
Pros
A dedicated retargeting platform with extremely effective AIUnifies Retargeting across sites, social media and your own siteFind the best deals on retargeting ads
Cons
Without careful study, it can be difficult to achieve the best results in complex systems. There is no way to control bidding strategies. AI handles everything. Pricing varies greatly depending on your ad campaigns.
10. RTB House
RTB House, a smaller startup offering their own AI tools, is another option for retargeting advertising networks.
RTB House has more website access for retargeting, but it is very similar to AdRoll’s larger and more established AdRoll.
RTB House, as the name implies, offers real-time bidding on a wide range of PPC advertising networks from their own platform.
RTB House’s pricing is not set by the company. You will need to speak with them about your retargeting requirements.
Pros
Large selection of websites available for ad-retargetingSimilar AdRoll
Cons
There is no free gift
11. Twitter Ads
Let’s not forget the social media giants. Twitter Ads is an effective PPC advertising tool for business owners.
There are many options for Twitter ads:
Promoted TweetsPromoted AccountsPromoted HashtagsPromoted Moments
These speak for themselves. You also have the option of using Promote Mode. This is an automated ad-bid option that allows you to tweet as usual. Twitter will promote your tweets and bump them up to approximately 30,000 more people.
This can be a very effective way to use PPC for a flat fee of US$99 per monthly.
Twitter PPC ads are like all social media networks. You can target your audience by demographic, geographic, and interest.
Use visual content and Twitter’s micro-blogging style to get the best results.
Pros
Twitter is one of most affordable social media advertising networks. Powerful demographic targetingIs useful for both B2B as well as B2C. Promoting your hashtag can be a great ad strategy
Cons
It can be difficult to cut through the noise of Twitter.
12. Twitch Ads
Here’s some stats for you. Twitch is used by 50% of American millennial men. Got your attention? Twitch is a powerful ad network.
Twitch, a live streaming platform that was founded on live gaming, is available for those who are not familiar. This platform is rapidly expanding and you will find musicians, vloggers, and many other live streaming artists.
Twitch ads can be displayed as:
Sponsored posts beside live streamsEmbedded Video on the home page, or on category pagesText box and image header
Sponsoring events, such as leagues or tournaments, is another option. Twitch suresteam can also be used. These options provide great visibility and can be used to bypass ad blocking software, ensuring your ad is visible.
Twitch has around 1,000,000 viewers at any given time, and that number keeps growing. Twitch claims that this number is higher than MSNBC or CNN’s daily viewers ….. This is a PPC network that you should be paying attention to in the future.
Twitch’s 81% male viewers are between 18 and 34 years old. Twitch viewers trust YouTube stars and influencers more than traditional broadcast channels.
Twitch’s strength is the ability to choose to have your ads appear on specific streams. This is more cost-effective than influencer marketing and more targeted than traditional PPC advertising networks.
This channel has been recognized for its potential and is used by many brands regularly. Advertising on Twitch isn’t as affordable as it used to be, this is for advertisers.
Pros
Target young tech-savvy men. Potential for influencer partnerships at a fraction of cost. Interesting PPC ad options. There is something for everyone in advertising.
Cons
Small businesses can benefit from high quality ads (i.e. expensive), but they are not as effective as those that are video. Homepage ads, for example, can be quite expensive.
13. AdNow
AdNow, another native advertising content platform offers access to more than 160,000 publishers. AdNow offers real-time bidding, which allows advertisers to display native content ads or banner ads.
It can be extremely useful to be able run native and banner ads from the same publisher. AdNow publishers are more common than those found on RevContent, Outbrain, Taboola or Outbrain. This is because AdNow is less restrictive about accepting publishers.
This doesn’t necessarily imply low quality sites. However, it does imply a wider reach than those ad platforms offer.
Advertisers love the low cost per Click, which is around 3 to 6 Cents per click. CPM can be anything from around $2.
Pros
Banner ads and native contentWebsites not found on larger native content ad sites.
Cons
There are reports that the quality of ad content is lower than bigger competitors. Website screening should be more rigorous
14. AdRecover
With the availability of browser extensions to block ads, ad blocking has seen a rise in popularity. This clever PPC ad network allows you to bypass ad blocking with non-intrusive and fully permission-enabled ads.
Data suggests that millennials are the most likely demographic to use ad blocking tools. AdRecover can help you get your ad noticed by this high-value audience.
AdRecover claims all ads are non-intrusive and show ‘above’ the fold with no slow loading.
This is done with text-based ads only, no banner or video ads.
The average cost of AdRecover for advertisers is not available online. They suggest that AdRecover should cost $10,000 per month. This might not be the best solution for SME’s, but it could be useful for growing companies that are already established to target millennials.
Pros
Get your ads seen by users who use ad blockers, who are usually millennialsNon-intrusive ads onlyTheir own data suggests high CTR and conversion rates
Cons
These ads are not suitable for low budget PPC campaigns.
How to choose the best PPC advertising network for your ad strategy
There are many ad networks available for advertisers. It’s not easy to choose the right one. Google Ads is the best all-rounder. It offers the largest search engine for ads as well as the most diverse display networks.
This list may have some help if you are looking for a PPC advertising channel that is more competitive or a platform to target specific audiences.
Linkedin Ads may be the best option if you are targeting professionals in business. You might also consider native content PPC ads.
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