Who still clicks on ads anyway

New data from Clutch says that seventy-seven percent (77%) of people recognize paid search ads easily compared to what organic search results look like - and it's causing a shift in the way advertisers approach consumers.

People use search engines to find answers to questions and often click paid search ads that respond to their search queries.

One-third (33%) of people click a search ad because it directly answers their search query, compared to those who click a search ad because it mentions a familiar brand (26%) or is listed above other search results (20%).

To engage potential customers through search, businesses should invest in pay-per-click (PPC) advertising and organic SEO services.

• Use Branded Search Ads to Engage Baby Boomers
• The main reasons why people click on paid search ads vary by age.
• Thirty-eight percent (38%) of baby boomers (ages 55+) click a paid search ad because it mentions a recognizable brand.
• Familiar brands appeal to older generations that may not trust paid search ads as much as traditional advertising.

"Older audiences are generally more skeptical of the internet," said Natalia Wulfe, head of marketing for Effective Spend, a PPC and SEO agency in Austin, Texas. "It makes sense that they approach a search results page with caution and skepticism."

Baby boomers (13%) also are the least likely to click on a search ad because it's listed above other search results. Younger generations – millennials (ages 18-35) and Gen Xers (ages 35-54) – are most likely to click on paid search ads that answer their search queries directly.

Businesses can optimize their PPC advertising to engage customers based on search preferences and habits.

• For example, businesses can bid lower on keywords that aim to engage baby boomers because this generation is less concerned about where an ad ranks on a search engine results page.
• Format Paid Search Ads Based on People's Preferred Search Engines
• The search engines people use affect the search ads they are most likely to click.
• Google users, for example, click on ads that answer their search queries (36%) and are listed above other search results (24%).
• One-third (33%) of Amazon and YouTube users, on the other hand, engage with ads that mention a familiar brand.
• Invest in Organic SEO Services and PPC Advertising

Businesses can use data from their PPC campaigns to inform which organic SEO services they invest in.

• SEO services provide long-term benefits for businesses without the explicit costs of PPC advertising.

Two SEO efforts that benefit from PPC advertising data are:

• Meta Tag Optimization: Include keywords from search ads people click on the most to drive engagement with organic search listings.
• Content Creation: Feature content on business websites that addresses topics people click on the most in search ads.