The Guardian – a UK based newspaper in their May 31, 2010 issue – made the observation that Pay-per-click is still an effective method of reaching potential customers.

In their article they observed that over the past few years we have witnessed a considerable change in how media has been consumed. Control has switched from publishers and advertisers to the consumers. TV viewers skip commercials using DVR systems; radio listeners customize their programming using internet or satellite radio; and internet users use ad-blocking software or just train their eye to ignore display ads all together. The old paradigm, where ads areimposed on the audience is losing effectiveness. Today, the consumer is no longer passive & the advertising models are learning to take into account the interests of all stakeholders: the advertiser, the publisher and the consumer.

To adjust, companies are moving to search engine marketing that better matches their customers interests. However, Google’s Pay-per-click model still is a god method to cater to the needs of the user. Having ads appear that match the searcher’s interest is more effective than ads appearing randomly.  The Pay–per–click model is easier to manage and more cost-effective as it still delivers results for the advertisers. Pay-per-click ensures that every cent is utilized and the audience gets what they want.  This increases the effectiveness of the marketing spend.

Unfortunately the articles no longer available.  They took it down Oct 31, 2014.