I blogged last week about account audits. It was revolutionary I know. Edge of your seat stuff.
But the audit focused on pure AdWords practices. The baseline. There’s also other stuff you need to be analysing and optimising. Sure your PPC account may be ideal but what if the website you send your traffic to resembles a digital steaming turd?
Exactly.
So, audit outside AdWords. Let’s consider Google Analytics. What would you look at?
These statistics aren’t so much down to your PPC manager as my previous Audit post. It depends on your client’s website. If they send all traffic related to jumpers to the homepage then blame can be placed on them for poor landing page selection. If your website doesn’t have static urls or a dedicated page to jumpers, there’s not much they can do.
Analytics Audit. Look over a decent date range. Compare it to previous ranges. Look at test result data which correlates with AdWords test times.
Have a look at the below.
Landing Pages – Look at bounce rates, time on site, pages viewed from that landing page, top landing page. Is this page doing what you want it to? If not test another, send recommendations over to the relevant person.
Exit Pages – Is exit bad on this page or does it promote a phone number or takes people off site? Is this a natural exit or is it a rubbish page for this traffic?
Entrance – If 50% of your natural traffic comes through iPads has your account manager (if budget allows) tested iPad specific campaigns? Are they using this information? Are they testing the top entry pages? If it’s mobile are they nagging you to build a mobile friendly version of the website?
Bounce Rate – Is it really high on specific pages? Source the URL back to AdWords. Maybe the blue jumper adgroup directs people to a shoe page. For the Blue shoe campaign, this page should have a high bounce rate.
Returning Visits – Is your PPC bringing in new traffic or just helping people return via brand?
Entry Sources – Any keyword areas that could be built on? Think of the organic keyword list as a PPC search query list, just not as extensive. Same as if any top referrers. Can you add GDN adverts to this page as a managed placement?
Country and Language – If your site can be translated is there a need for it? It’s proactive for your account manager to be feeding this back to you.
Site Search – Engage it and see what isn’t easy to find on your website. See what new areas you could potentially add to the search campaigns or suggest to your client to add.
Day Parting and Entry Times – If one time, say 11pm, you get great conversions test increased bidding during this time in AdWords.
PPC, as I have often said isn’t turn it on and leave it. A decent audit in Analytics can really reveal new areas or areas you may be lacking. GO through the data and feedback to your client or staff. Be proactive.
