PPC advertising is the fastest path to new customers online. In the Czech Republic, you have two main platforms to choose from, Google Ads and Sklik (Seznam). Each has its strengths, and the right choice (or combination) can dramatically affect your return on investment.
Market Share: Google vs. Seznam
Before I dive into the comparison, a quick word on market share. Google holds a clear majority of Czech search. Seznam keeps a smaller share that has been shrinking in recent years, with the rest going to other search engines.
Does that mean Sklik isn't worth it? Absolutely not. Even a smaller share represents a large volume of searches and a specific demographic that could be exactly your target audience.
Google Ads: The Global Giant
Google Ads Advantages
- Largest reach, the majority of Czech searches
- Advanced targeting, remarketing, in-market audiences, custom segments
- Diverse formats, Search, Display, YouTube, Shopping, Performance Max
- Artificial intelligence, Smart Bidding, automated targeting, Broad Match with AI
- Google Shopping, visual product ads right in search results
- YouTube Ads, video formats with massive reach
- International reach, one campaign setup for multiple countries
Google Ads Disadvantages
- Higher cost per click, competition drives prices up
- Complexity, dozens of campaign types and settings
- Click fraud, higher risk with display campaigns
- Steep learning curve, easy to lose money without experience
What advertising actually costs, budget, the auction and management fees, is covered separately in how much Google Ads costs.
Sklik: The Czech Specialist## Sklik: The Czech Specialist
Sklik Advantages
- Often lower cost per click, fewer advertisers in the auction
- Czech support, phone and email in Czech
- Specific demographics, older population, less tech-savvy users
- Product search, integration with Zbozi.cz
- Lower competition, fewer advertisers = lower prices
- Business clients, many B2B customers still use Seznam
- Simplicity, a cleaner interface than Google Ads
Sklik Disadvantages
- Smaller reach, a minority share of search
- Limited targeting, fewer advanced audience segments
- Fewer formats, no YouTube Ads or Performance Max equivalent
- Slower innovation, new features lag behind Google
- Limited automation, fewer AI features for optimization
Detailed Comparison
| Parameter | Google Ads | Sklik |
|---|---|---|
| Market share | majority | minority, shrinking |
| Cost per click | by industry, usually higher | by industry, often lower |
| Campaign types | 8+ types | 4 types |
| Shopping ads | Google Shopping | Zbozi.cz |
| Video ads | YouTube Ads | Limited |
| Remarketing | Advanced | Basic |
| AI optimization | Smart Bidding, PMax | Limited |
| Support | English (limited Czech) | Czech |
| Interface | Complex | Simpler |
| Mobile share | Dominant | Lower |
When to Choose Google Ads
Google Ads is the right choice if:
- You're targeting a younger audience, it searches mostly on Google
- You sell online, Google Shopping is the most effective channel for e-commerce
- You want video ads, YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world
- You need remarketing, Google has the most sophisticated remarketing tools
- You're expanding internationally, one platform for all markets
- You have a larger budget, higher budgets let you better leverage AI optimization
When to Choose Sklik
Sklik is ideal if:
- You have a limited budget, lower CPC means more clicks for the same money
- You're targeting an older audience, it uses Seznam more often
- You're a local business, smaller companies often see higher conversions on Seznam
- You sell on Zbozi.cz, integration is straightforward and effective
- You're new to PPC, a simpler interface and Czech support make getting started easier
- You want to complement Google, Sklik excels as a secondary channel
The Optimal Strategy: Combining Both Platforms
It often makes sense to use both platforms simultaneously. The key is proper budget allocation.
Recommended Budget Split
Google requires no minimum, I derive the budget from the value of a conversion. Campaign setup costs €1,000, management from €480 per month, and you pay the click budget separately.
Smaller budget:
- Google Ads: 70%
- Sklik: 30%
Medium budget:
- Google Ads: 65%
- Sklik: 25%
- Zbozi.cz: 10%
Larger budget:
- Google Ads (Search): 40%
- Google Ads (Shopping/PMax): 20%
- Sklik: 15%
- Zbozi.cz: 10%
- YouTube/Display: 15%
These are ballpark figures. The actual split depends on results and conversions, always shift budget toward whichever channel delivers the best ROI.
How to Measure Performance Properly
Without proper measurement, you'll get lost in PPC. For a complete overview of metrics and attribution models, read my article on how to measure online marketing ROI. Set up the following:
Google Analytics 4
- Connect with both Google Ads and Sklik
- Track conversions (purchases, forms, calls)
- Use attribution models to understand the customer journey
Conversion Tracking
- Google Ads conversions, native tracking in Google
- Sklik conversions, Sklik's conversion tracking code
- UTM parameters, for precise attribution in GA4
Key Metrics
- CPA (cost per acquisition), how much one customer costs
- ROAS (return on ad spend), how much you earn for every euro invested
- Conversion rate, percentage of visitors who buy
- Quality Score, affects cost per click
Most Common PPC Mistakes
- No conversion tracking, without data, you can't optimize
- Keywords too broad, you're paying for irrelevant clicks
- Ignoring negative keywords, filter out irrelevant queries
- Same ads for everyone, personalize by audience
- Sending traffic to the homepage, always use a relevant landing page
- Set and forget, PPC requires regular optimization
- Last-click attribution only, customers go through multiple touchpoints
PPC Trends for 2026
- AI optimization, machine learning is replacing manual bidding
- Privacy-first, cookie consent and Consent Mode v2 limit remarketing data (Google ultimately did not phase out third-party cookies)
- Automation, Performance Max and similar formats are growing
- Conversational ads, AI chatbots in ad formats
- Video-first, short videos are dominating even in search
Conclusion
Google Ads and Sklik aren't competitors, they're complementary channels. Google offers greater reach and more advanced tools, while Sklik brings lower prices and access to a specific Czech demographic. The best results come from combining both platforms with ongoing optimization based on real data. Keep in mind that even the best campaign fails if visitors don't buy once they land, so it pays to tackle e-shop conversion optimization in parallel.
Need help setting up PPC campaigns? As part of my online marketing services I'll set up campaigns on both platforms and show you spend, leads and cost per lead every month. Get in touch.