Conversion Tracking

Conversion tracking is a crucial aspect of pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. It involves measuring and analyzing the effectiveness of PPC campaigns by tracking the actions that users take on a website after clicking on an advertisement. This allows advertisers to determine how well their campaigns are performing and make necessary adjustments to optimise their efforts and increase conversions.

What is a Conversion?

A conversion is any desired action that a user takes on a website after clicking on an advertisement. This could be anything from purchasing a product to signing up for a newsletter. Advertisers set specific goals for their campaigns, such as increasing website traffic or generating leads, and track conversions to see how well they are meeting these goals.

Why is Conversion Tracking Important?

Conversion tracking is important for several reasons:

• It allows advertisers to measure the return on investment (ROI) of their PPC campaigns. By tracking conversions, advertisers can determine how much revenue is generated from their PPC efforts and compare it to the cost of the campaign. This allows them to see whether their campaigns are profitable and make necessary adjustments to optimise their ROI.
• It helps advertisers understand which keywords and ad groups are performing well. By analyzing conversion data, advertisers can determine which keywords and ad groups are driving the most conversions and focus their efforts on these areas. This allows them to optimise their campaigns and improve their overall performance.
• It allows advertisers to identify and fix problems with their campaigns. By tracking conversions, advertisers can see where users are dropping off in the conversion process and make necessary adjustments to improve the user experience and increase conversions.

Setting up Conversion Tracking

To set up conversion tracking, advertisers need to:

• Choose the conversion action they want to track. This could be anything from making a purchase to signing up for a newsletter. Advertisers need to define the specific action they want to track and set up a tracking mechanism to measure it.
• Choose a tracking method. Advertisers can choose from several tracking methods, including:
  • Google Analytics: This is a free web analytics service offered by Google that allows advertisers to track website traffic and conversions.
  • Conversion tracking tags: These are snippets of code that advertisers can place on their website to track conversions. Advertisers can use different tags for different conversion actions and set up custom conversions in Google Ads to track them.
  • Phone call tracking: Advertisers can set up phone call tracking to track conversions that occur over the phone. This involves using a unique phone number for each ad and tracking the calls that are made to this number.
• Set up the tracking mechanism. Advertisers need to follow the specific steps for the chosen tracking method to set up conversion tracking on their website. This may involve installing a tracking tag or linking their website to Google Analytics.

Analyzing Conversion Data

Once conversion tracking is set up, advertisers can analyse the data to see how their campaigns are performing and make necessary adjustments. Some key metrics to look at include:

• Conversion rate: This is the percentage of users who complete a conversion action after clicking on an advertisement. A high conversion rate indicates that the campaign is effectively driving the desired action.
• Cost per conversion: This is the amount of money spent on a campaign divided by the number of conversions generated. A low cost per conversion indicates that the campaign is generating conversions at a low cost.
• Return on ad spend (ROAS): This is the revenue generated from a campaign divided by the cost of the campaign. A high ROAS indicates that the campaign is generating a good return on investment.

Best Practices for Conversion Tracking

There are several best practices that advertisers should follow when setting up and analyzing conversion tracking data:

• Set clear goals for the campaign. Before setting up conversion tracking, advertisers should define the specific actions they want users to take on their website. This will help them determine which tracking method to use and how to set up the tracking mechanism.
• Use multiple tracking methods. Advertisers should consider using multiple tracking methods to get a more comprehensive view of their campaign performance. For example, they may use Google Analytics to track overall website traffic and conversion tracking tags to track specific actions on the website.
• Test the tracking mechanism. Advertisers should test their tracking mechanism to ensure that it is accurately measuring the desired conversion actions. This may involve setting up a test conversion and verifying that it is being tracked correctly.
• Use conversion data to optimise campaigns. Advertisers should regularly analyse their conversion data and use it to make necessary adjustments to their campaigns. This may involve changing keywords, ad copy, or targeting to improve the performance of the campaign.
• Use third-party tools to improve conversion tracking. There are several third-party tools available that can help advertisers improve their conversion tracking efforts. For example, Lunio is an invalid traffic prevention solution tool that helps advertisers and PPC specialists prevent fake touchpoints, improving conversions and ROI.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can conversion tracking be set up for multiple conversion actions?

Yes, conversion tracking can be set up for multiple conversion actions. Advertisers can use different tracking methods or tags for different conversion actions and set up custom conversions in Google Ads to track them.

Can conversion tracking be set up for offline conversions?

Yes, advertisers can set up conversion tracking for offline conversions by using phone call tracking or by importing offline conversion data into Google Ads.

Is it possible to track conversions from multiple websites?

Yes, advertisers can use cross-domain tracking to track conversions from multiple websites. This involves setting up a single tracking tag on all of the websites and using it to track conversions across all of the sites.

Can conversion tracking data be viewed in real-time?

Google Analytics provides real-time conversion tracking data, allowing advertisers to see how their campaigns are performing in real-time. Other tracking methods may not provide real-time data, but advertisers can typically view conversion data within a few hours of the conversion occurring.