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Online Course: How to place an ad in Yandex.Direct
Lesson 1: How contextual advertising works
 

Lesson 1: How contextual advertising works

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In this lesson you will learn:
1.1. How ads are displayed
1.2. Search advertising: by query
1.3. Content ads: based on interests and content
1.4. Costs and payment
Let's get started!
Questions

Whether it’s a Superman costume, apartment in northwest Moscow, a new smartphone, cupcake delivery, sci-fi films, or a self-propelled lawnmower — people come to Yandex every day to find all sorts of products and services on the internet.

By advertising on Yandex.Direct, you can respond to these users directly with contextual advertising.

1.1. How ads are displayed

Contextual advertising can bring customers to your site in two different ways.

Click on the cards to find out ads can appear.

By search query
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Search ads

Search ads respond directly to users’ search queries and appear in Yandex search results.

Based on user behavior
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Content ads

Content ads are based on data about a user’s online behavior.

Users can come into contact with your ads on desktop computers and laptops, as well as on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.

1.2. Search advertising: by query

To respond to demand directly in Yandex search results, Yandex.Direct uses keywords — words and phrases that users enter to search for products or services.

Imagine that an advertiser owns a furniture store, for example. He creates an ad on Yandex.Direct and adds three seater sofa to his list of keywords. When a user enters, for example, the query buy three seater sofa in Yandex search, the user quickly finds what they need and the store owner finds a new customer.

These ads can appear on Yandex Search and in the search results of our partners (for example, go.mail.ru, bing.com, and rambler.ru).

1.3. Content ads: based on interests and content
Yandex.Direct is not limited to search ads: ads also appeared on tens of thousands of high-quality host sites in the Yandex Advertising Network, as well as external ad networks if the ad matches the user’s interests. This allows you to improve the performance of your ads while also attracting potential customers to your site from across the broader internet.
1.3. Content ads: based on interests and content
1.4. Costs and payment

Contextual advertising in Yandex.Direct (in contrast to display advertising) is served on a PPC (payment per click) basis, i.e. when a user clicks through from your ad to your site. This means that you pay for the real visitors your ads bring.

There are two ways that Yandex.Direct serves contextual ads to users: if a user’s search query matches your keywords or if your ad reflects a user’s interests.

Let's get started!

Our tutorials will help you create your first ad campaign in Yandex.Direct, step by step and right in the interface. We'll start by selecting keywords and evaluating your budget, and then move on to the basic settings and tools.

To finish the first lesson and move on to the next, please answer a few simple questions in our test.

Questions
How does Yandex.Direct display ads?
Correct. There are three ways that Yandex.Direct serves ads to users: if a user's search query matches your keywords, if the content of a host site matches your ad, or if your ad reflects a user's interests.
Not quite. There are three ways that Yandex.Direct serves ads to users: if a user's search query matches your keywords, if the content of a host site matches your ad, or if your ad reflects a user's interests.
Not quite. There are three ways that Yandex.Direct serves ads to users: if a user's search query matches your keywords, if the content of a host site matches your ad, or if your ad reflects a user's interests.
When serving contextual ads in Yandex.Direct, what does the advertiser pay for?
Correct. The advertiser pays when users click through to the advertised site or vCard. For contextual ads, impressions by themselves are free.
Not quite. The advertiser pays when users click through to the advertised site or vCard. For contextual ads, impressions by themselves are free.
Not quite. The advertiser pays when users click through to the advertised site or vCard. For contextual ads, impressions by themselves are free.
You can manage your ad campaign on your own or with the help of a Yandex manager. To find out more about working with a Yandex manager and request one for yourself, click here.
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