Tracking Google Adwords?

[pmkpmk]

Seperate entry page only visible in AdWords? For each campaign?
Or simply server-logfiles?

[jeremy goodrich]

Those work, you can also do a bit of server side scripting to set cookies based on the referer from Adwords / and a campaign variable to log stuff & track conversion rates from click to sale :)

My favorite method of tracking is to set a cookie when the visitor gets to the site based on the campaign / advertisement variable, and then follow those cookies through the site - noting where they drop off the site (if they do) and what percent convert to sale or action.

Then you can chart based on the accumulated data, and use it to 1) improve your ads 2) target better keywords based on what converts and 3) improve your site based on their usage.

Adwords is the *best* real time testing suite on the net - bar none. Used well with some software and you have yourself the ultimate competitive advantage.

[webdiversity]

dedicated urls for each keyword, for broad phrase and exact match, if the landing page is appropriate to all the keywords then that's fine.

Sift too.

[bcc1234]

I second what jeremy_goodrich says. I use affiliate tracking software to track each ad as if it were a separate affiliate. Works out pretty good.

[pmkpmk]

jeremy goodrich:

set a cookie when the visitor gets to the site based on the campaign / advertisement variable

This variable you mention - is it transferred from Google, or do I need to set it manually in the URL e.g. www.widgets.com?campaignXYZ

bcc1234:
Any affiliate tracking software to recommend?

One of the challenges I face is that my widgets are well in the 15$K-35$K range - so we don't relly sell OVER the web, but rather WITH the web. So it's not direct ROI tracking, but more gettin new perspective customers to hand over to our sales staff.

[bcc1234]

Any affiliate tracking software to recommend?

I use custom made stuff, but check out DirectTrack - they provide a good web-based solution.

[jeremy goodrich]

Then you will want to "close the loop" as much as you can, imho.

Use a different phone # for web inqueries, versus your other marketing efforts - so you can track that way. If possible, use one phone # for adwords, another for other PPC ads, and a 3rd for your "regular" visitors to your site.

You'll need to add the variable to your campaign - eg, your url for link in Google would be:

http://wwWebmasterWorldidgets.com/?source=adwords&track=advert1

Then you can set a cookie based on that unique creative, etc - it really depends on how "deep" you want to go with it.