One-click flow

In a one-click flow there is no keyword step. The visitor arrives on a search results page that already shows sponsored listings for a query, and a single click on one of them is the monetised click.

The query has to come from somewhere. Legitimately, it is something the visitor typed into a search box monetisation or address bar, or it was chosen on a previous page. In arbitrage it is often supplied by the link the visitor followed, which is where one-click set-ups become controversial: the visitor is shown ads for a search they never made. Search engines regulate where queries may originate. Google clarified its rules on query origin for AdSense for Search in March 2024.

One-click flows convert more visitors into paid clicks than a two-click flow because a whole step of drop-off disappears. The clicks carry less evidence of real interest, so engines tend to value them lower and police them harder. Whether a given one-click design is allowed depends entirely on the feed's contract and policies, and what is tolerated on one feed may be banned on another.

An example

Say 1,000 visitors land directly on a results page and 30% click an ad at $0.35. Revenue is $105. More visitors click than in a two-click flow, but each click is typically paid less.