FunMarketer Lesson of the Week

Craig, what else should we measure besides After-Click behavior on Google AdWords?

Impressions.

Frequent readers know I’m huge on After-Click (AC) behavior. Why? Because this indicates what people do after they click on your Google ad. Measuring clicks as your benchmark of success is like measuring how many people walk through the front door of a retail store; valuable info, but hey it’s the cash register that measures success.

Remember, if you are fortunate enough to be able to measure a Conversion, using Google AdWords, that metric must be your primary indicator of success. If you drive traffic to the phone, you can’t always measure a conversion, but at least you can compare the success of different ad campaigns using Google Analytics measures like Page Views Per Visit or Average Time on Page.

But, what if you are trying to measure trends? What if you want to uncover how much interest is in your product during the month? Maybe you are two weeks into the month and you want to see how well you are doing. Are people still shopping, or are they starting to slow down compared to last month?

Try Impressions. If your daily budget is the same during both time periods, you’ll get a very good indication of how much interest there is in your product.

A couple of caveats:

1. You must segregate your keyword search and your content network campaigns. If you don’t, then start – immediately. Content impressions are not as reliable of an indicator of interest in your product or product category. Keyword Impressions are what matter.

(Note, I’m not anti-Content ads, I make money with them, but I do not use them as an indicator of consumer interest.)

2. Make sure your daily budget setting as well as any time of day settings are the same. You need an apples-to-apples comparison.

There are dozens of other reports to run, but impression share is a good snapshot. Call me for more ideas at 402-423-2444 or email me at funmarketer@marketinghawks.com

FunMarketer Free Campaign Idea of the Week

It’s Back-To-School Time. Doesn’t this little girl just look like somebody you’d like to buy something from or help out? What a great smile!

Photo: Istock #5793448

Headline: Get Her Ready to Win This Fall – Our Back-To-School Sale is On Now!

FunMarketer Tip of The Week

Need some creativity? Force yourself to pull up one or two creative ideas a week – when you are tired. Yes, it sounds crazy, but when you are tired is just when your defenses are down. Let the crazy ideas roll in, whether it’s a headline or an idea for a new campaign.

Sure, many will be sub-par, but you’ll unearth a couple of gems buried inside your creative side that otherwise would never see the light of day.

It works. Try it.

FunMarketer Phrase of The Week

“Rock On”. This phrase can still resonate for people over forty. If you are looking to inspire your customers, or bond with them in a common mission, or possibly salute them, then this is an excellent phrase to keep in your quiver.

Happy Marketing!

Craig Lutz-Priefert