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By Michéal Breslin, Managing Director, Lever Digital · Updated September 2026
With the reach that pay-per-click (PPC) advertising enables, businesses of all sizes need to invest in effective advertising strategies to increase brand awareness, drive traffic, and boost conversions. PPC advertising has become an essential part of this process, offering advertisers a measurable way to reach their target audience. With numerous PPC platforms available, choosing the right one can be a daunting task. This comprehensive guide will explore the top 12 PPC platforms, their benefits, and how to make the most of them for your business.
The short answer: for most businesses, Google Ads and Microsoft Ads should come first, because they reach people who are already searching for a solution. B2B and SaaS companies usually add LinkedIn next for job-title and company targeting. Consumer brands tend to add Meta and TikTok. Reddit, Pinterest, YouTube, X, native networks and Spotify work best as supporting channels once search is profitable.
Note: Choosing the right platform is only part of a successful PPC marketing strategy and if you need help with your PPC strategy and management, we at Lever hire the most experienced experts in the industry that are ready to help scale your business. If you're a B2B or SaaS company, see how we approach channel mix as a SaaS digital marketing agency.
PPC platforms at a glance
1. Google Ads
Overview
Google Ads is the king of online PPC platforms. Google handles around 91% of global searches (StatCounter, August 2026), providing advertisers with massive reach and access to potential customers. In addition to search, with the Google Display Network advertisers can reach their audience across 35 million websites and apps, and on Google-owned properties like Gmail and YouTube. Search ads can now also appear alongside Google's AI Overviews, and AI Max for Search uses your landing pages and assets to match ads to longer, conversational queries.
Benefits
- Target high-intent buyers when they're searching for a solution to their problem
- Extensive global reach
- Variety of bidding strategies for different campaign types
- A comprehensive suite of tools for optimisation
- The Google Display Network offers a wide range of websites for display ads
- Detailed analytics and reporting
- Various targeting customisation options
Tips
Google Search Ads have the highest level of purchase intent amongst all advertising platforms. This can mean that they also experience quite a bit of competition which increases the CPCs due to the high ROI. A properly structured Google Ads account can set you up for success and help realise your business's potential. If your account has grown without a clear structure, a Google Ads audit is the quickest way to find wasted spend. For B2B advertisers, import CRM outcomes (qualified leads, opportunities, closed revenue) back into Google Ads so bidding optimises for pipeline, not form fills.
2. Microsoft Ads (formerly Bing Ads)
Overview
The Microsoft Search Network is the second-largest search engine, with around 4.5% of global search (StatCounter, August 2026). With Google at around 91%, the size of the opportunity with Microsoft Ads is much smaller however it's not to be discounted and it's a PPC channel that all advertisers should evaluate. The Microsoft Search Network includes search engines such as Bing and Yahoo, as well as LinkedIn profile targeting. Microsoft Ads also serve inside Microsoft Copilot, putting ads in front of people using AI search.
Benefits
- Potential for a lower cost per click (CPC) compared to Google Ads
- Exclusive access to Yahoo search traffic and LinkedIn profile targeting
- Simplified campaign importing from Google Ads
- Less competition for popular keywords
- Ad placements in Microsoft Copilot as well as traditional search results
Tips
Microsoft Ads allows importing campaigns from Google Ads for some campaign types. If your Google campaigns are using Broad Match keywords, reconsider this strategy for Microsoft Ads. In addition, it's important to optimise the campaigns for the Microsoft Ads platform by adjusting bids or bid strategies, match types, and adding any Microsoft Ads ad assets (formerly extensions). Because Bing is the default search engine on many work computers, and LinkedIn profile targeting lets you layer job function and company onto search, Microsoft Ads management is one of the most cost-efficient channels in a B2B lead generation programme.
3. ChatGPT Ads
Overview
ChatGPT has more than 900 million weekly active users (OpenAI, February 2026). OpenAI has opened its self-serve Ads Manager to advertisers, including in the UK. Ads appear below ChatGPT's response and are clearly labelled as sponsored. The answer itself is never influenced by advertising. Ads are only shown to logged-in adult users on the Free and Go tiers. Plus, Pro, Business and Enterprise subscribers never see them.
ChatGPT Ads doesn't use exact-match keywords. Ads are matched to the conversation using advertiser-written "context hints", which are short descriptions of your product or use case. Custom audiences, geo targeting and platform targeting (iOS, Android or web) can be added on top.
Benefits
- Reach buyers while they're researching a problem, often before they open a search tab
- A new placement with far less competition than Google Ads, so costs are typically lower for now
- Three bidding options: oCPC (optimised for conversions), CPC and CPM
- Conversion tracking through OpenAI's OAIQ pixel and Conversions API
- Custom audiences for including, excluding or adjusting bids on your own customer and prospect lists
Tips
Don't copy a search campaign across. Write context hints and landing pages around how a buyer describes their problem in conversation, not the short keyword they'd type into Google. OpenAI recommends a starting bid of $3–5 per click for CPC and oCPC campaigns. Advertisers only see aggregated performance data, not individual conversations, so connect your CRM to judge the channel on pipeline.
In our own testing for a UK SaaS client in a highly competitive sector, average CPC on ChatGPT came in at £1.96 against £36 on Google Ads, and cost per acquisition at £200 against £600. That's one client over a few months, not a benchmark, but it shows why the channel is worth testing. ChatGPT Ads is still in beta, so we run it as an add-on to an existing Google or Microsoft account rather than as a first channel. See how we manage ChatGPT Ads.
4. Meta Ads (Facebook and Instagram)
Overview
Meta's family of apps (Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp) reached an average of 3.6 billion daily active people in June 2026 (Meta Q2 2026 results). As you can see, the size of the opportunity for advertisers is enormous. Meta Ads offers granular targeting options based on user demographics, interests, behaviours, and more, making it a powerful platform for reaching specific audiences.
Benefits
- Advertise across Instagram and other Meta properties
- Access to a vast user base
- Highly detailed targeting options
- Variety of ad formats, including video, single image, carousel, and slideshow
Tips
Meta Ads tend to work better for B2C businesses rather than B2B however if your business is B2B you should always test different PPC channels. Remember to test different ad imagery, videos and copy, this can really improve performance on Facebook and Instagram. It can be hard to measure ad attribution from Meta ads as it's more of a discovery platform when compared to Search Ads. The fix is sending CRM data back through the Conversions API, so Meta learns from qualified leads rather than every form fill. That's how we measure lead generation campaigns on pipeline, and how we run paid social for B2B.
5. TikTok Ads
Overview
TikTok has more than a billion monthly active users worldwide. This provides a great opportunity for brands to reach a highly engaged audience of Gen Z and younger millennial users. TikTok Ads offers different types of video ads such as TopView, Brand Takeover, and In-Feed Video Ads. These ads can be used to create brand awareness and drive traffic to your website.
Benefits
- TikTok can have cheaper CPCs than Meta Ads
- Short-form videos are easy to consume and engaging for users
- Make use of User-generated content (UGC) as an advert
- Highly targeted audience options such as gender, location, device type, and interests
- Innovative ad formats
Tips
When creating TikTok Ads it's important to keep your videos short and punchy and to hook viewers in the first two to three seconds. Use eye-catching visuals like bright colours and motion graphics to grab attention quickly. Try experimenting with different ad formats to see what works best for your brand.
6. YouTube
Overview
YouTube, the world's largest video-sharing platform, reaches over 2 billion logged-in users per month. As a part of Google Ads, YouTube offers advertisers a diverse range of video ad formats to engage their audience effectively. Video ads require a little more creative input than standard display advertising however the benefits massively outweigh the negatives. Google Ads also includes built-in tools that help advertisers create simple video ads from existing images, logos and copy, and Demand Gen campaigns extend reach into YouTube Shorts.
Benefits
- Access to a massive global audience and a range of demographics
- Ad formats for a range of goals from awareness to consideration to action
- High user engagement
- Variety of video ad formats
- Similar targeting options as Google Display Network
Tips
Leverage the power of video content to capture the attention of your target audience and create a lasting brand impression. We recommend trying Skippable in-stream ads as you are only charged if a user watches 30 seconds of the advert or if they interact with the ad. For B2B and SaaS brands, YouTube works best for retargeting website visitors and customer-list audiences with product demos and customer stories, rather than for cold prospecting.
7. LinkedIn Ads
Overview
Owned by Microsoft, LinkedIn is a professional network with more than 1.3 billion member accounts (LinkedIn, July 2026). LinkedIn Ads allows advertisers to target users based on professional criteria such as job title, seniority, company, and more. Due to the nature of LinkedIn their PPC platform is more relevant for B2B advertisers.
Benefits
- Access to a professional audience
- Precise targeting using professional criteria and account-based targeting from uploaded company lists
- Range of types such as sponsored posts, Conversation Ads (formerly sponsored messaging), Thought Leader Ads and dynamic ads
- Variety of ad formats, including text/image ads, document ads, video and native ads
- Native Lead Gen Forms that pre-fill with profile data
Tips
Offer valuable content, such as industry-specific tips, whitepapers, or webinars, to engage and attract users on LinkedIn. LinkedIn can be more expensive than other platforms but no other advertising platform is as B2B focused. LinkedIn works best alongside search rather than instead of it: use it to build familiarity with target accounts, then capture the demand on Google and Microsoft Ads. See how we combine the two for B2B lead generation and as a SaaS PPC agency.
8. X Ads (formerly Twitter Ads)
Overview
X (formerly Twitter) doesn't publish independently verified user figures the way listed platforms do, so treat reach estimates with caution. Promoted posts (formerly promoted tweets), one of the most flexible ad formats, can include text, images, GIFs, or videos in compliance with X's overall policies. With X Ads, you can target keywords and also follower lookalikes so that you can target users who have similar interests to an account's followers.
Benefits
- Access to a diverse user base
- Generally cheaper CPCs than other well known advertising platforms
- Variety of ad formats, including promoted posts, follower ads and takeovers
- Real-time audience engagement
Tips
Users tend to scroll X in a quick fashion and it has less dwell time than other advertising platforms. With that said, X advertisers can connect with communities and groups of users who share similar interests. Check brand-safety controls before launching, as they matter more on X than on most platforms.
9. Pinterest Ads
Overview
Pinterest has 640 million monthly active users (Pinterest Q2 2026 results). Its audience skews female and many users arrive with a purchase or project in mind, which makes it a planning and discovery platform rather than a pure social feed.
Benefits
- Reach a predominantly female demographic
- Connect with users actively seeking inspiration and product ideas
- Multiple ad format options including standard image, video, carousel, collection and shopping ads
Tips
Conduct keyword research before launching campaigns, as Pinterest search behaviour tends toward broader queries compared to Google. Building authentic engagement through shares and saves strengthens campaign performance organically.
10. Reddit Ads
Overview
Reddit reached 130.3 million daily active uniques and 514.6 million weekly active uniques in Q2 2026 (Reddit Q2 2026 results). This discussion and content aggregation platform enables advertisers to target specific subreddits or interest-based audiences through text, image, link post, or video ad formats.
Benefits
- Reach diverse user populations
- Users demonstrate high daily engagement metrics
- Target based on interests and audience engagement levels
- Multiple ad objective options available
- Reddit threads are frequently surfaced in Google results and cited by AI assistants, so visibility in the right subreddits supports both paid and organic search and AI visibility
Tips
Understand each subreddit's unique culture and guidelines before targeting, as communities respond sensitively to certain messaging. Prioritise delivering value through advertisements to maximise organic reach. For B2B software, subreddits built around specific roles and tools can be a cost-effective way to reach practitioners who influence buying decisions.
11. Amazon Ads
Overview
Amazon Ads puts products in front of shoppers at the moment of purchase, on the world's largest online marketplace. Targeting is built on Amazon's own shopping and browsing data. Sales can be tracked back to ads, from the first impression through to the purchase, without relying on third-party cookies. Beyond Amazon's own search results, the Amazon DSP (its self-serve display ad platform) and Prime Video ads extend reach to streaming TV and third-party sites.
Benefits
- Very high purchase intent: people searching on Amazon are usually ready to buy
- Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands and Sponsored Display ads, all bought per click
- Audiences based on real shopping behaviour, not inferred interests
- Tracking that links ad exposure to actual sales
- Prime Video and streaming TV ads through the Amazon DSP, for full-funnel campaigns
- Amazon Marketing Cloud for deeper analysis of the path to purchase
Tips
Fix your product pages before spending. Ads can't rescue listings with weak images, thin copy or few reviews. Run branded and generic search campaigns separately, so you can tell how much you're paying to defend your own brand and how much goes on winning new customers. If you also run Google or Meta ads that send people to your Amazon listings, use Amazon Attribution to measure those sales. For brands selling both on Amazon and on their own site, plan Amazon Ads alongside Google Shopping and Performance Max rather than in isolation. Find out more about our eCommerce PPC services.
12. Spotify Ads
Overview
Spotify Ads functions as an audio advertising platform enabling brands to reach audiences through audio ads, video ads and podcast placements. Spotify had 777 million monthly active users in Q2 2026, 494 million of them on the ad-supported tier (Spotify Q2 2026 results). With access to an engaged user base, the platform supports impactful campaigns and customer acquisition. However, Spotify primarily drives brand awareness rather than immediate sales, making it less suitable for smaller advertisers prioritising quick returns.
Benefits
- A highly engaged user base
- Targeting based on age, gender, and location
- Opportunity to create custom audio ads
Tips
Make sure your audio ads are creative and engaging in order to grab the attention of listeners. Additionally, use a clear call-to-action so users know how to take the next step.
Which PPC Channel Is Right For Your Business?
Identifying the optimal PPC platform requires understanding each channel's distinct capabilities and advantages. The right mix depends less on the platform and more on how your customers buy. As a starting point:
By evaluating performance metrics regularly, refining strategies responsively, and testing emerging platforms, businesses maintain competitive positioning within digital marketing's dynamic environment. If you're weighing up outside help, our guide to working with a PPC agency covers what to expect. [Note: remove the outbound DesignRush link that sat here – it passes authority to an agency directory.]
Frequently asked questions
Which PPC platform is best for B2B?
Google Ads and Microsoft Ads capture buyers who are actively searching, so they usually deliver the lowest cost per qualified lead. LinkedIn is the strongest platform for reaching specific job titles and target accounts, but costs more per click, so it works best alongside search.
Which PPC platform has the highest buying intent?
Search platforms (Google Ads and Microsoft Ads), because ads appear in response to what someone is actively looking for. Social and native platforms interrupt people who are browsing, so they're better for awareness and retargeting.
How many PPC platforms should a business use?
Most businesses should start with one or two and add channels only when the first is profitable and measured properly. Spreading a limited budget across many platforms usually means none of them get enough data to optimise.
At Lever, we help ambitious brands scale through paid advertising. Get in touch with us here and let our PPC experts grow your business.
