What best defines paid search? (Select the correct answer.)

Paid search, also known as Search Engine Marketing (SEM), involves advertisers bidding on specific keywords. When users search for those keywords, the advertisers' ads appear prominently at the top or bottom of the search engine results pages (SERPs). This is a direct payment model for visibility. Optimizing website content to rank higher organically describes Search Engine Optimization (SEO), which focuses on unpaid, natural search rankings. Paying for ad space on social media platforms refers to paid social media advertising, a distinct digital marketing channel separate from search engines.