Back in July we blogged that Google was planning to call time on the” Converted Clicks” metric in September (You can read this article here).
September has come and passed and the metric is still available, however don’t expect this to remain the case for too much longer.
The Converted Click Metric
The Converted Click metric was the original way for Google Adwords advertisers to measure their campaigns. This click metric measures how many clicks leads to somebody who has clicked an ad completed a desired action such as filling out a contact form or made a purchase.
As the demand for more advanced conversion tracking increased, this metric became less used. However there are still plenty of accounts that use this as a primary success metric, especially those who track several goals that lead to similar outcomes, such as those who offer multiple ways for users to be added to heir CRM.
While this suited many advertisers, the lack of ability to assign value or segment the data has always been a drawback, as well as a lack of cross-device tracking.
If you have moved away from the converted click metric, then feel free to read another of our blog posts, but if you do, here’s what you need to do:
Export Historical Data
As the metric will be removed from the interface, you will need to export your historical campaign data if you want to be able to perform any sort of comparison.
If you are your client has used this method, you will need to agree a new way of measuring the performance of their campaigns.
As Converted Clicks and Conversions are counted differently, switching between the two will likely see an increase in reported conversions.
Automated Bid Strategies
Switching metrics will have an impact on any advertiser using any sort of automated bidding strategy focused on conversions, such as Enhanced CPC (eCPC) or Target.
An inflation of conversions may depress your CPA, potentially throwing off the Target CPA strategy. The sudden surge in conversions may cause your eCPC strategy to raise bids more often, raising your CPCs. While this isn’t necessarily bad depending on your goals, it is something to be aware of.
Update Conversion Settings
You should also review and update your conversion settings, with two options being of particular interest:
Count
You have two options, the first being “every” that counts every time after an ad click triggers a conversions. This should be used if you want to accuartley track revenue, because if someone makes five purchased after their click, it will be reported as 5 conversions.
The other option is “One” which is more suitable for lead generated websites. This option is more along the lines of the converted click metric as it tallies once after an ad click. If somebody clicks an add and completes a contact form twice, it is counted as one conversion.
Include in “Conversions”
Adwords gives the option to choose whether you want a conversion action to be included in the “Conversions” column for the purposes of reporting and automated bidding. This can help prioritize goals for the purposes of adjusting your bids and reporting on success, bringing your conversion number closer to your converted clicks count. If you decide not to include the goal in the “Conversion column” you’ll still see it under the “All Conversions” column and in the “Conversion Actions” section of AdWords.
Cross-Device Conversions
Conversions will now automatically count cross-device conversions in your conversion column, but you also have the option to turn this off if you wish. To do this go to Tools > Conversions > Settings and edit the “include cross-device conversions” tab.
So there you have it, what you need to do if you are still using the Converted Clicks metric. If you would like any advice or assistance in making the switch, please get in touch with us.
