Conversions should drive PPC analysis

The main data to take into account when assessing the performance of pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns is the conversion rate, it has been asserted.

Writing for Search Engine Watch, David Szetela explains that a variety of other metrics exist which can be used to gauge the effectiveness of the campaign.

But it is the conversion rate which is the true measure of how well the PPC campaign is functioning, he claims.

"Many PPC newbies neglect to set up conversions tracking," he points out.

He adds that they instead "base their assumptions about campaign performance on the number of impressions and clicks, on ad position and on click-through rates".

But he advises that the conversion rate should be the driving force behind "almost every action" taken to improve a PPC initiative.

His guidance follows the suggestion from search portal Yahoo! that advertisement headlines should include phrases that humans are more likely to type in order to drive the click-through rate up.