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Pay Per Click - Naughty or Nice?
December 19, 2005
Return On Investment (ROI), three words that can strike fear into the heart of any Pay Per Click (PPC) campaign manager. Is my campaign producing enough ROI? How can I get more ROI? And, Is there ever enough ROI?
From the campaigns that I have been involved in both directly and indirectly, I've seen a few truisms that, when applied, can lead to better ROI. Interestingly enough skill and talent are last on list.
First, as location is to real estate, communication is to ROI. If goals, expectations, and measurements are not clearly communicated then the chances for successful ROI are greatly decreased.
Secondly, Pinocchio’s nose grew every time he told a lie, and every time you're not upfront with your client in communicating what is actually going on, their view of the ROI will go down. Let clients decide the level of detail that they want, and don't assume - we all know the acronym for that.....
Finally, in regards to the three questions mentioned in the opening here are the answers that get to the heart of the issue, regardless of technique.
- Is my campaign producing enough ROI? Ask your client, they'll tell you. Compare results against what the plan was. And only adjust with the client’s explicit approval.
- How can I get more ROI? Understand your client. Typically, the techniques to success are tried and true, but the better you understand your client, what their business is, who their customer is, and what they are expecting to receive, the better the ROI is going to be.
- Is there ever enough ROI? YES. You thought I was going to say no didn't you. I prefer to look at it in a logical equation. If there is never enough ROI, then the goal can never be met.....etc..... I believe in goals, they are good, healthy benchmarks that keep us focused and on task. To exceed the goal is a great thing, don't get me wrong, but to never set a bar for success is a sure way to create an environment for eventual disappointment and perceived failure.
Ultimately, IMHO I think that exceptional ROI is measured in good communication as much as it is in actual numbers. Try taking a few minutes and evaluating your current campaigns with the above criterion and see how you feel about your current ROI.
This humble blogger wants to say thank you to all of the readers out there and wish you all a wonderful Christmas!
All posts by Brent Sharp
posted by Brent Sharp at December 19, 2005 11:08 AM
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