On Wednesday, February 8, 2017, Brasco //// hosted our first Google Partner Connect event of 2017. We were pleased to open our conference room to discuss measurement and attribution with our guests. We received incredible insight on how to properly measure the progress of advertising practices. In addition, we learned that as advertising continues to evolve, so do the tools that you need to measure advertising efforts. This information is so valuable, we feel it is our obligation to share it with you. Below is a brief overview of what we learned.
Jeff Montgomery started the broadcast off by explaining the evolution of advertising. He continued by illustrating some key tips on measurement and providing two tools that AdWords implements in finding insightful information on cross-device assisted conversions.
As most of us know, traditional media includes radio, newspapers, TV, billboards, etc. We’re also aware that a lot of people continue to spend time with traditional media. It is still part of the consumer buying cycle, but it is not particularly measurable. A lot of times, this type of media relies on a business having faith that it is going to work.
Then the internet was born and digital media became the next big thing. It produced a clear and concise way to measure effectiveness. This then allowed traditional media to become clearer as well. Computers allowed consumers to make purchases on their own, in their own way.
When mobile phones were introduced, the clarity and confidence in measurability went out the window. This led to where we are today. A multi-channel, multi-screen world, where measurability in our advertising relies on a complex cross-device attribution model.
In the second half of the Google Partner Connect Event about Measurement, Kevin Cho spoke about two Google tools that can be used to measure multi-device conversions.
Cross-device conversions are conversions that happen on a different device, or screen, then the one the ad was clicked on. They give you better insight into the behavior of multi-device consumers and the value of your ads across each device. They can measure the performance of your campaigns across all devices.
It is crucial to understand how an ad on one device can assist a conversion on another device. This data is often found on Google’s many properties, like Gmail, YouTube, chrome, google search, maps, etc. To enable the best results for a cross-device conversion you must: enable conversion tracking, promote conversion events, and optimize the customer’s experience.
Attribution modeling is how you give credit to conversions. This is often done by crediting the last click before a conversion. However, there are other models that can better determine conversion credit. There are 6 types of attribution models:
Best practice states that the attribution model should reflect your business model. While data-driven models are the most objective and successful, they are often only available for larger known clients with high levels of conversions. Rule-based models are more subjective but can be applied to historical data.
Brasco/// is a qualified Google Partner with demonstrated product expertise in both search and mobile specializations. We will be hosting similar events in the future, so make sure to keep an eye out for them. If you are interested in learning about what we can do for you, be sure to connect with us.