What does paid search refer to in digital marketing?

Paid search refers specifically to the practice of paying for advertisements to appear in search engine results pages when users input particular keywords. This approach allows businesses to target specific terms related to their products or services, ensuring that their ads are shown to users who are actively searching for relevant information.

When an advertisement is clicked, the advertiser pays a fee to the search engine, which is often structured as a cost-per-click (CPC) model. This not only helps to drive relevant traffic to a website but also provides businesses an opportunity to gain visibility quickly in highly competitive markets. It is distinct from organic search optimization methods, which focus on improving a website's natural rankings without a direct monetary cost for ad placement.

Other options reference strategies such as organic search optimization, social media marketing, and website design; however, they do not align with the concept of paid search, which is specifically centered around the paid aspect of appearing in search results.