However when I test my tracking by going to the page it works, it increments by one every time I visit the page. Also when I search for one of my keywords in Google and click on my own Google adwords ad it also increases the count by one. However none of the clicks that are showing in my adwords account are showing on my tracking. This one is really puzzling me because I don't think Google would make this sort of error.
Also interestingly my clickthrough rate for several of the keywords is quite extraordinary. My Google adwords account shows a clickthrough rate of over 50% which I've never seen before.
Any ideas? Anyone had a similar issue?
Then what happens?
If you cannot detect them how can you know they exist?
Depending on the tracking method your using, that can cause the problem.
This is one of my favorite trackings post, which might be able to clear up some issues for you:
[webmasterworld.com...]
>>> My Google adwords account shows a clickthrough rate of over 50%
And that's why I feel nothing's wrong with your tracking. Probably just a Google stats error. Are these Google clicks recorded by your log files?
You probably need to get in touch with Google on this one.
so instead, i just go back to the fundamentals:
1) am i making a net profit?
2) is my net profit increasing or decreasing over time ~ this is a very important question to ask yourself
What is your tracking URL format?
Something as simple as www.mysite.com/?source=google?
Does the visitor get redirected to some other URL?
* Impressions and clicks reported in your stats come from Google's servers, which host your ads. Before being delivered to your stats, both impressions and clicks are filtered for possibly invalid patterns of behavior.
* Your server's web logs are more reliable for comparisons than third party tracking will be.
* Some tracking programs may not register clicks that occur while the destination site is down.
* Some tracking programs will have limitations on the kinds and sources of clicks that they report.
* Your ads can display on a network of search and content partner sites, literally numbering in the thousands. So while the ads originate from Google, your tracking may not reflect this.
* Time discrepancies between different tracking programs can throw off comparisons of clicks. All AdWords reports are on US Pacific Time.
* Stats reported in your account typically run about three hours behind in the Campaign Summary page, and possibly more in individual campaign and Ad Group pages. So this delay must also be factored in.
* Third party tracking may filter out visits from your own IP address, while AdWords does not.
I probably missed a few, but I hope this'll help clarify things a bit.
AWA
1. There is NO direct correlation between clicks and content being displayed on a vistor screen from your site, click are only for Google charging purposes.
2. Google will tell you its your problem, when in fact the whole concept is technically flawed. See their canned responses for examples ( everyone who complins get the same form stuff).
3. Google Adwords systems are not the most reliable, more often unavailable then not..
4. The proof is that you cannot get google to provide a detailed bill containing the click per day, to prevent you correlating click to visits to charges. You can get a report, external to billing, but this is has the disclaimer which basically says this cannot be relied upon..
5. Many months of analysis of raw data, suggest a couple of things.. Clicks do not match Google figures.. Many times clicks go to phantoms ( i.e a complete page is not even delivered, connection for less than 2 seconds).
6. The best of all is the google report which has clicks 20 displayed 0!
7. There is no technical support at google, just canned denials or techno babble.
8. Lastly suggest adding a "?src=ggole" type line to your ad URL, then track in you local database. If there is no entry in your database then there is a strong probability that the viewer did not see the ad anyway and hence there is a zero sale potential. Dont listen to the rubbish Google tell you the above is all that matter to you..
Note the results of the above will make you mad as hell at being ripped off...
Hope this helps...
