Performance Monitoring and Conversion Tracking

Overview of Performance Monitoring and Conversion Tracking

Introduction to Performance Monitoring and Conversion Monitoring

Key Concepts of Performance Monitoring

By tracking your performance and conversions, you can identify which clicks are more valuable and increase the efficiency of your ad spend. In order to do this, you first should track what your users are doing on your site. With more data about your customers, you can make better decisions about how to run your business.

For example, if it's determined that a particular product on your site is very popular, you can invest more money into bidding competitively for keywords that lead to more traffic and conversions for that site.

How Google Measures Performance

AdWords uses a dynamic variable called 'Quality Score' to evaluate keyword relevance. Quality Score is based on your keyword's clickthrough rate (CTR) on Google; the relevance of your ad text, keyword, and landing page; and several other relevance factors.

A Quality Score is calculated every time your keyword matches a search query - that is, every time your keyword has the potential to trigger an ad. Quality Score is used in several different ways, including influencing your keywords' actual cost-per-clicks (CPCs) and the first page bid estimates that you see in your account. It also partly determines if a keyword is eligible to enter the ad auction that occurs when a user enters a search query and, if it is, how high the ad will be ranked. In general, the higher your Quality Score, the lower your costs and the better your ad position.

Quality Score helps ensure that only the most relevant ads appear to users on Google and the Google Network. The AdWords system works best for everybody, including advertisers, users, publishers, and even Google, when the ads we display match our users' needs as closely as possible. Relevant ads tend to earn more clicks, appear in a higher position, and bring you the most success.

AdWords Tools for Monitoring Performance

For more in-depth performance tracking, we suggest that you create reports on the Campaigns tab, or set up conversion tracking and Google Analytics.

Troubleshooting Performance Issues

Overview of Common Performance Issues

Low Quality Score Issues

If your keyword's bid doesn't meet the first page bid estimate and its Quality Score is very low, the Status column of the Keywords tab in your account will read 'Low Quality Score.' Neither the Status column nor the Keyword Analysis field will show the First Page Bid estimate. This is to emphasize the importance of improving your keyword's Quality Score through optimization rather than increasing its bid. Optimization will save you money, plus help ensure the quality of the AdWords program and the overall user experience. If your Quality Score improves, you're likely to see a low First Page Bid estimate.

Google Network Issues

If your ad isn't appearing on sites in the Google Network, check to make sure your campaign is opted in to our Display or Search Network by visiting your Settings tab. (Sign in to your account > Click the appropriate campaign > Click the Settings tab). You can opt in to the Search Network, the Display Network, or both under the Networks and bidding section of this tab. An easy way to spot whether or not your AdWords campaign is performing poorly in the Search Network is to check your CTR. A low CTR can indicate poor performance on Google.com and other Search Networks.

Campaign Negative Keywords

If there is overlap between your negative and regular keywords, the negative keyword will block your regular keywords from showing.

Ads Targeted Outside Your Region

You can target your campaigns to specific languages and geographic regions. However, if these targets do not include your own language settings and geographic location, you will not be able to see your ads.