Paid media fundamentals

ROI tracking

Last updated:

Mar 9, 2023

ROI tracking is the process of measuring the return on investment (ROI) generated from different marketing campaigns. It helps businesses understand which campaigns are most effective.

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James Deeney

James Deeney

Senior Content Manager

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ROI tracking is a method of measuring the return on investment of an advertising campaign. It is used to evaluate the success of a campaign by comparing the amount of money spent on advertising to the revenue generated as a result of that advertising. In PPC advertising, ROI tracking is achieved by using a combination of data and analytics to determine the impact of a campaign on the business.

ROI tracking is an essential part of any successful PPC advertising campaign. It enables advertisers to measure the effectiveness of their campaigns, make data-driven decisions, and optimise their advertising spend for maximum returns. Without ROI tracking, it is impossible to know whether a campaign is effective, how much revenue it generates, or how much profit it contributes to the business.

How Does ROI Tracking Work?

ROI tracking works by measuring the amount of money spent on advertising and comparing it to the revenue generated as a result of that advertising. This is done by using a combination of data and analytics, including conversion tracking, click-through rate (CTR) tracking, and cost-per-click (CPC) tracking.

Conversion tracking is used to measure the number of times a user completes a desired action on a website, such as making a purchase, filling out a form, or downloading a document. By tracking conversions, advertisers can determine how many of their clicks are resulting in revenue-generating activities and calculate the ROI of their campaigns.

CTR tracking is used to measure the number of times a user clicks on an ad compared to the number of times the ad is shown. CTR is a crucial metric in PPC advertising, as it indicates how effective an ad is at generating clicks and driving traffic to a website.

CPC tracking is used to measure the cost of each click on an ad. By tracking CPC, advertisers can determine how much they are spending on each click and evaluate the cost-effectiveness of their campaigns.

By combining data from conversion tracking, CTR tracking, and CPC tracking, advertisers can calculate the ROI of their campaigns and make data-driven decisions about how to optimise their advertising spend.

Why is ROI Tracking Important in PPC Advertising?

ROI tracking is crucial in PPC advertising for several reasons:

  1. Measuring Campaign Effectiveness: ROI tracking enables advertisers to measure the effectiveness of their campaigns and determine how much revenue and profit their advertising is generating.
  2. Optimising Advertising Spend: By tracking ROI, advertisers can determine which campaigns are generating the most revenue and adjust their advertising spend accordingly. This ensures that advertising budgets are allocated to the campaigns that are most effective at generating revenue.
  3. Identifying Areas for Improvement: ROI tracking can identify areas for improvement in a campaign, such as low conversion rates or high CPC. This enables advertisers to make data-driven decisions about how to optimise their campaigns for maximum returns.
  4. Comparing Campaigns: ROI tracking enables advertisers to compare the effectiveness of different campaigns and determine which campaigns are generating the most revenue and profit. This can help advertisers make informed decisions about how to allocate advertising spend and which campaigns to prioritise.
  5. Providing Insights: ROI tracking provides valuable insights into the performance of a campaign, including which keywords, ad copy, and targeting options are most effective at generating revenue. This information can be used to optimise campaigns and improve their ROI.

Methods of Tracking ROI in PPC Advertising

There are several methods of tracking ROI in PPC advertising, each with its own benefits and limitations. Here are a few of the most common methods:

Google Ads Conversion Tracking

Google Ads conversion tracking is a free tool that enables advertisers to track the number of conversions generated by their campaigns. It works by placing a tracking code on the thank-you page that appears after a user completes a desired action, such as making a purchase or filling out a form. By tracking conversions, advertisers can determine which campaigns, ad groups, and keywords are generating the most revenue and adjust their advertising spend accordingly.

Google Analytics Goal Tracking

Google Analytics goal tracking is a tool that enables advertisers to track user behaviour on their website, such as the number of pages visited, time spent on site, and bounce rate. By setting up goals in Google Analytics, advertisers can track the number of conversions generated by their campaigns and evaluate the effectiveness of their advertising spend.

Call Tracking

Call tracking is a method of tracking phone calls generated by PPC advertising campaigns. It works by assigning a unique phone number to each campaign, ad group, or keyword, which enables advertisers to track the number of calls generated by each advertising channel. Call tracking is particularly useful for businesses that generate a significant portion of their revenue from phone calls, such as healthcare providers, legal firms, and home services companies.

Revenue Tracking

Revenue tracking is a method of tracking the revenue generated by PPC advertising campaigns. It works by integrating PPC advertising data with revenue data from the business's CRM or e-commerce platform. By tracking revenue, advertisers can determine the ROI of their campaigns and make data-driven decisions about how to optimise their advertising spend.

Profit Tracking

Profit tracking is a method of tracking the profit generated by PPC advertising campaigns. It works by integrating PPC advertising data with data on the cost of goods sold, overheads, and other business expenses. By tracking profit, advertisers can determine the true ROI of their campaigns and make informed decisions about how to optimise their advertising spend.

ROI Tracking Table

Method of ROI TrackingBenefitsLimitations
Google Ads Conversion TrackingFree, easy to set up, tracks specific actions on websiteOnly tracks website conversions, limited attribution
Google Analytics Goal TrackingFree, tracks user behaviour on website, enables goal trackingRequires set-up and configuration, limited attribution
Call TrackingTracks phone calls generated by PPC ads, useful for businesses that generate revenue from phone callsRequires separate call tracking software, may not capture all phone calls
Revenue TrackingTracks revenue generated by PPC ads, provides accurate ROI dataRequires integration with CRM or e-commerce platform, limited attribution
Profit TrackingTracks profit generated by PPC ads, provides most accurate ROI dataRequires integration with financial data, complex calculation methods