Chapter 9: Track Everything

Executive Summary:

How do you know your Google ads are working?

By tracking them. There are myriad data points you can track related to your Google ads and myriad tools you can use to track them.

The reason Google ads are trackable is that they’re delivered via digital platforms. Without digital delivery, there’s no signal that advertisers and publishers can use to measure response to individual ads. That’s why Google’s radio and print experiments failed.

One way to track response to non-digital campaigns is by including a unique URL in your ad. Marketers should heed the lessons I share at GoodURLBadURL.com when selecting and promoting their URLs.

Kaplan tracks every piece of marketing communications it creates with a unique identifier (and is now the largest and fastest-growing division of the Washington Post Company).

AccuQuote tracks responses to its marketing through a very long and complex sales process that spans online and offline touchpoints. Through robust tracking, analytics, and optimization, AccuQuote has boosted conversions over 60%.

Marketers must track all variables and give credit to the appropriate channel, not just the last ad exposure or click. Only then can budget can be allocated to fully maximize the entire marketing mix.

Select Quotes:

“If the objective is to find more of your best customers, you have to differentiate the signal from the noise.”

– Glenn Fishback, Senior Vice President, Adify Media, @GlennFishback

“When the economy heads South, analytics heads North.”

– Josh Manion, CEO, Stratigent, @JoshManion

“Advertising as a model has been broken for a long time. Google’s trying to fix it.”

– Bryan Eisenberg, Managing Partner, Eisenberg Holdings, @TheGrok

“Think Big. Move Fast. Revere Talent. Measure Everything.”

– Rishad Tobaccowala, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer, VivaKi, @RishadT

“What doesn’t get measured doesn’t get done.”

– Jeff Campbell, VP, Resolution Media, @CJeffCampbell

“Analytics is not a tool, it’s a discipline.”

– David Gould, President, Resolution Media, @DGouldo

Final Thought:

Tack your tractor to the fast track and gain traction with a tactful tracking tract.

Updates:

June 2, 2010: Looks like Google’s trying to skin the TV cat another way. In addition to what it’s doing to broker TV ads, Google is trying to create an operating system (OS) for TV in much the same way it has with mobile and Android. On 5/20, Google annnounced a partnership with Sony, Logitech and Intel to “put Google TV inside of televisions, Blu-ray players and companion boxes.”  Today, I penned a column for MediaPost asking, “What Will Ads Look Like on Google TV?” Bottom line, he who controls the OS, controls the experience. And a more search-focused TV experience could be good for users and the Big G alike.

Sept. 8, 2010: On page 136, the correct location for Learning Care Group is Novi, Michigan — not Nuvi. Sorry! Must’ve had GPS on the brain. Props to Scott Kier for catching that one.

Sept. 4, 2012: Google TV has officially lost it’s signal and the company is “doubling down” on online video solutions.