Google Conversion Optimiser

[AmeliaDawson]

Hi Guys,

I saw that Google Conversion Optimiser (beta) is now available on my Adwords account.

Has anyone tried this?

Would be great to know any results, or opinions on this.

Cheers,

Amelia
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Added: Link to information about Google Conversion Optimizer

[Shmuel]

I'm trying it right now (turned it on yesterday). I haven't really seen any change yet. I hope to see something by the end of the week.

[AmeliaDawson]

I would be interested to hear your results. Do you set the CPA's at Account or Ad Group level?

[Shmuel]

It's set at the campaign level. The campaign has had to have 300 conversions (so yes, you'll need the code in in order to use this) in the last 30 days. Only one of my campaigns fits this bill, so that's the only one that's on.

[AdWordsRep]

I saw that Google Conversion Optimiser (beta) is now available on my Adwords account.

Glad to see an active thread on this subject - thanks for starting it AmeliaDawson.

I hope you all will feel free to add your feedback here, whether positive or not-so-positive. I'll make sure that the team behind Conversion Optimizer sees it.

I would be interested to hear your results. Do you set the CPA's at Account or Ad Group level?

It's set at the campaign level.

I just wanted to jump in to clarify. While Conversion Optimizer is turned on at the campaign level, different bids are set at the ad group level.

AWR

[Shmuel]

I just wanted to jump in to clarify. While Conversion Optimizer is turned on at the campaign level, different bids are set at the ad group level.

Right. For the campaign I have it turned on for, we have one set CPA, based on our requirements.

[GuyFromChicago]

Here's what I've seen with the conversion optimizer so far;

Pre Conversion Optimizer:
Conversion rate: 38.60%
Cost per conversion: $0.03

Conversion Optimizer Day 1
Conversion rate: 32.61%
Cost Per Conversion: $0.05

Conversion Optimizer Day 2
Conversion rate: 24.07%
Cost Per Conversion: $0.06

[Shmuel]

Originally Posted by GuyFromChicago

Here's what I've seen with the conversion optimizer so far;

Pre Conversion Optimizer:
Conversion rate: 38.60%
Cost per conversion: $0.03

What are you selling that your CPA is 3¢!?

[GuyFromChicago]

Originally Posted by Shmuel

What are you selling that your CPA is 3¢!?

It's not a sale, it's a specific action.

[Mel66]

Originally Posted by GuyFromChicago

Here's what I've seen with the conversion optimizer so far;

Pre Conversion Optimizer:
Conversion rate: 38.60%
Cost per conversion: $0.03

Conversion Optimizer Day 1
Conversion rate: 32.61%
Cost Per Conversion: $0.05

Conversion Optimizer Day 2
Conversion rate: 24.07%
Cost Per Conversion: $0.06

Yikes. Not exactly a vote of confidence for Conversion Optimizer! I'll be watching for more.

Melissa

[Shmuel]

Just an update of my results:
Averages for this month (excluding test)
CTR - 5%
CR - 11.4%
CPA - $10.26

Monday (turned on mid-day) saw a severe drop in CR and a rise in CPA.
CTR - 4.9%
CR - 8%
CPA - $14.63

Tuesday saw slight increases in performance.
CTR - 6.2%
CR - 9.2%
CPA - $12.99

Wednesday had continued improvement
CTR - 5.5%
CR - 10.3%
CPA - $11.61

Thursday was yet even better.
CTR - 5.8%
CR - 10.8%
CPA - $11.29

So far today shows even more improvement. I'm going to keep this on over the weekend, and I will report back on Monday.

As to the poor performance initially and the subsequent improvements, my assumption is that the system needed time to learn. I believe I will continue to see improvements over the next week or two, and am willing to wait it out.

One thing I'm not so happy about AWR, but I understand why it's being done, is the requirement of needing the campaign to have had at least 300 conversions in the last 30 days. I have many campaigns with far less than that, but would still like to test this on them (in particular one which has been a thorn in my side the last few months). I assume that as this is more and more implemented, that the number required will be lessened?

[psurplus]

I've been keeping a close eye on this feature available in conjunction with AdWords. I am glad I found this thread to hear what users are actually saying. I'm not using this feature, but what are the tagets you can choose to optimize for? Just CPA? Conversions, ROI, etc?


Pros-
1. its free when other third parties charge hundreds, if not thousands of dollars for a service like this.
2. its simple to use as with much of Google's AdWords advertising platform. Over time account performance should improve as the optimizer learns.

Cons-
1. possible limited choices of objectives, only getting revenue based data, when some other services can utilize actual order profit. I suppose you could replace revenue data in the conversion tracking code to use order profit done at the sacrifice of accurate revenue reporting.
2. the requirements for 300+ conversions in a month is steep.
3. without the functionality of advanced tools like AdWords Editor, Position preference, Budget Optimizer, Site targeting, Advanced ad scheduling, Preferred cost bidding.

[Shmuel]

Originally Posted by psurplus

I've been keeping a close eye on this feature available in conjunction with AdWords. I am glad I found this thread to hear what users are actually saying. I'm not using this feature, but what are the tagets you can choose to optimize for? Just CPA? Conversions, ROI, etc?

It's just for whatever your consider a conversion, be it sign up or purchase. In my case, it's purchase.

[Shmuel]

Monday Morning Update

So has this worked? Yes and no. I had a 7% increase in conversions with a negligible rise in CPA. Why no then? The increase wasn't that big. September was a semi-flat month for us.

I am going to keep this on for another week at least, so only time will tell.

[GuyFromChicago]

I dropped my test today. The CO seemed to do ok in terms of the conversion rate but nearly doubled my cost per conversion.

Pre Conversion Optimizer:
Conversion rate: 38.60%
Cost per conversion: $0.03

Sep 28, 2007
Conversion rate: 38.61%
Cost Per Conversion: $0.05

Sep 29, 2007
Conversion rate: 38.84%
Cost Per Conversion: $0.05

Sep 30, 2007
Conversion rate: 36.40
Cost Per Conversion: $0.05

[plking]

The above doesn't sound too promising, but a 3 cent conversion cost might be a corner case. I'd be surprised if too many of us had costs this low.

Anyone else out there using it??

[Discovery]

300 conversion min for the campaign to use the optimizer?

Sorry, that wont work for many unless you count a visit or a free ring tone download a conversion.

Most advertisers have very targeted small campaigns where 300 meaningful sales/conversions is a high mark. And if you have hit this mark it is not a campaign you wish to optimize and risk a poor result. If you're like me you want to optimize campaigns that are not performing.

Discovery

[AdWordsRep]

300 conversion min for the campaign to use the optimizer?

Point well taken Discovery.

Please note, though, that this is not an arbitrary number. It's the amount of data needed in order to accurately predict when and where conversions are likely to occur - so that it can show ads under those conditions.

That said, I'll certainly pass your feedback along.

AWR

[Discovery]

AWR - Understood, predictions are based on data - (unless you're a politician). So am I green in thinking G couldnt simply stretch out the date range from which the conversions take place?

Discovery

[AdWordsRep]

...So am I green in thinking G couldnt simply stretch out the date range from which the conversions take place?

Discovery, not being a part of the team that created the Conversion Optimizer (and, beyond that, not being particularly adept at statistical science either) I'm not really able to answer that.

And to be even more straightforward, if I did know the particulars I almost certainly wouldn't be able to mention them - given that our competitors surely read this forum.

One thing I have learned over time, though, is that things are rarely as simple as they seem at first glance - whether we're talking about AdWords algos, or pinpointing an electrical problem in an aging car - to name just two.

AWR