New to the concept? Start with what is performance marketing, then use this to pick your channels.
The main types of performance marketing
| Type | What it is | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Paid search | Ads on Google & Bing for active searches | High-intent, ready-to-buy demand |
| Paid social | Ads on Meta, LinkedIn, etc. | Discovery, awareness, targeting |
| Display & native | Banner and in-feed ads across sites | Reach & brand recall |
| Affiliate | Commission to partners per result | Low-risk, results-only scaling |
| Remarketing | Ads to people who already engaged | Recovering lost visitors & carts |
Paid search: capturing demand
Search ads put you in front of people actively looking for what you sell. Intent is high, so conversion rates tend to be strong — but competitive keywords can be costly. It's the go-to for capturing ready-to-buy demand.
Paid social: creating demand
Social ads interrupt people based on interests and behaviour, so they're ideal for discovery and awareness. Weighing Google against Meta specifically? See our Google Ads vs Meta Ads guide.
Display, affiliate and remarketing
- Display & native keep your brand visible across the web — better for recall than instant conversions.
- Affiliate pays partners only when they deliver a result, making it low-risk if tracked well.
- Remarketing re-engages people who already visited or added to cart — usually some of the cheapest conversions you'll get.
Which types should you use?
There's no single best channel — it depends on your audience, margins and goals. Most effective programmes blend a few and shift budget toward whatever delivers the best cost per result. For budgets, see our PPC cost in India guide, and if you're comparing paid with organic, our SEO vs PPC guide helps.
Frequently asked questions
What are the main types of performance marketing?
The main types are paid search (search ads), paid social (ads on platforms like Meta and LinkedIn), display and native advertising, affiliate marketing, and remarketing. Each is measurable and paid on results such as clicks, leads or sales. Most brands combine a few based on their audience and goals.
What is the difference between paid search and paid social?
Paid search captures existing demand — you reach people actively searching for what you offer, so intent is high. Paid social creates demand — you interrupt people with targeted ads based on their interests and behaviour. Search is great for ready-to-buy intent; social is great for awareness and discovery.
Is affiliate marketing part of performance marketing?
Yes. Affiliate marketing is a classic performance channel — you pay partners a commission only when they drive a sale or lead. Because you pay strictly on results, it carries low upfront risk, though it needs good tracking and the right partners to work well.
Which type of performance marketing is best?
There is no single best type — it depends on your audience, goals and margins. Paid search suits high-intent demand, paid social suits discovery and retargeting, affiliate suits low-risk scaling. Most effective programmes blend channels and shift budget toward whatever delivers the best cost per result.
How do I measure performance marketing?
Measure by cost per result and return, not vanity metrics — cost per click, cost per lead, cost per acquisition, and return on ad spend. Track conversions properly with analytics and pixels so you know which channel and campaign actually drove each sale, then move budget to the winners.
Performance marketing, managed to ROAS
Search, social, display and remarketing — run together with clean tracking and budget that follows the results.