Paid Ad / Advertising Terms Paid Ad A paid ad is any advertisement that a brand or organisation pays to display on digital or traditional media platforms. In digital marketing, paid ads appear across search engines, social media, websites, apps and video platforms, allowing marketers to reach specific audiences with tailored messages. These ads typically follow a pay-per-click (PPC), pay-per-impression (CPM) or pay-per-conversion model, depending on the campaign goals and platform used. Paid ads can take many forms, including search engine ads (such as Google Ads), display banners, social media promotions, video pre-rolls, native ads and shopping listings. Each format offers different targeting options based on demographics, interests, behaviours, search intent or remarketing data. For example, a SaaS company might run LinkedIn ads targeting IT managers, while a nonprofit could use Facebook ads to promote a giving campaign to supporters in a specific region. Platforms like Meta Ads Manager, Google Ads and LinkedIn Campaign Manager provide tools for budgeting, creative testing and performance tracking. Paid advertising is a powerful way to generate immediate traffic, increase visibility and support specific goals such as lead generation, sales or donations. For B2B and SaaS brands, paid ads can accelerate growth by reaching decision makers at different stages of the buyer journey. For nonprofits, they offer a cost-effective way to promote urgent appeals, events or educational content. Success depends on clear targeting, strong creative, consistent messaging and regular performance analysis. Integrating paid ads with organic efforts helps create a balanced and sustainable marketing mix.