Practical explanation:
When you run ads on Google or social media, you're paying to get people to your website. Each click costs money, and the goal is for enough of those visitors to take action - fill out a form, make a purchase, or get in touch - to make the spend worthwhile.
When to use it
Paid traffic works best when you need results quickly or want to test a new offer before investing in long-term content. Unlike SEO, it can deliver visitors almost immediately after a campaign goes live. Diligently runs paid traffic campaigns on Google and Meta for B2B clients, with campaigns typically going live within two weeks of the kickoff meeting.
What to watch out for
When you stop paying, the traffic stops too. That's the fundamental trade-off - paid traffic is fast and controllable, but it doesn't build anything that lasts on its own.
Related terms:
PPC, Google Ads, Campaign, Conversion Tracking, Paid Search