In this example, we see three ads above the first organic result. The top ad (localroofingpros.com) is in position 1, the middle (roofing.mightydogroofing.com) is in position 2, and the bottom (angi.com) is in position 3. Thisoldhouse.com is the highest-ranking organic result. 

Keywords are essentially up for sale for every search, and marketers will bid on keywords. Bidding in this case specifically means how much you will pay if someone clicks on your ad. The cost per click (CPC) of a Google Search ad can vary, but the average in 2022 is $1 to $2. 

Having the highest bid doesn’t mean you will win position 1, 2, or even 3. A combination of several factors determines your ad position—aka ad rank. These factors include quality score (a metric search engines give your ad), relevance, demographics, historic performance, bid adjustments, ad copy, location, and audience. Furthermore, the right combination can change month by month, day by day, or even hour by hour. 

Google and other search engines are always changing their algorithms for both organic results and ad results. This is one of the many reasons why hiring a PPC agency is crucial to getting an ad into those top 3 positions for a keyword. Marketing experts utilize industry knowledge, past experience, market research, historical data, and A/B testing to determine strategy. A proper strategy focuses on account goals, targeted keywords, and competition in the space.