Google Ads is a platform created by Google that allows businesses to advertise on the internet. Think of it as a giant digital billboard where businesses can display ads to promote their products or services. However, instead of being in one place like a physical billboard, these ads can appear on various online locations, including Google search results, websites, and even YouTube videos.

Here’s how it works: when someone uses Google to search for something, Google Ads can show relevant ads alongside the search results. For example, if you search for “buy running shoes online,” you might see ads from different stores that sell running shoes. This is super helpful for businesses because they get to show their ads to people who are already interested in what they have to offer.

Businesses use Google Ads by choosing keywords—these are words or phrases related to their products or services. They then create ads based on these keywords. When someone searches for these keywords, Google might display their ads based on the relevance and other factors like how much the business is willing to pay per click on their ad.

The best part is, businesses only pay when someone actually clicks on their ad, which is why it's called "pay-per-click" advertising. This makes Google Ads a flexible and cost-effective way for businesses to reach potential customers directly.