Conversion Optimizer

The benefits of using google conversion optimizer, is it worth it?

[olly]

Hey everyone,

We got an email from Google the other day telling us about their free bidding tool - Conversion Optimizer. I was just wanting to get anyones previous experience from using this before we go ahead and start using it. They make a very bold statement in the email saying "On average, campaigns which adopt Conversion Optimizer achieve a 21% increase in conversions while decreasing their CPA by 14%". Has anyone had this experience? Is this a worth while avenue to pursue or would I just be wasting my time?

Thanks

[Mark_A]

I have never played with it. Interested to hear what others think.

[netmeg]

I use it, I like it, and I think if you aren't testing landing pages (and elements on landing pages) you are most likely leaving money on the table.

[DiscoStu]

Netmeg, I think he's talking about the conversion optimizer bidding feature, not website optimizer (which is a great tool).

I've tried conversion optimizer for a long time now, and in my experience it works well as it reduces the time needed to micromanage. Working with max CPA has worked better for me than target CPA.

One thing that is important to remember is that using the conversion optimizer bidding strategy effectively locks your adgroup bids - meaning you can't raise or lower bids for individual keywords within the campaign. This means if a keyword is under performing somehow you just have to let the bidding system detect it. The other problem is adding a new adgroup/keywords within the campaign as the system will have no history to go on. Usually it figures it out, but sometimes new adgroups will be stuck with zero clicks & impressions, and you have to raise the max cpa bid very high for it to get unstuck and get some history and then you can lower it to the normal cpa.

[netmeg]

Oh, yes, my bad.

I do use Conversion Optimizing bidding for some campaigns. It works better for some than others, you have to keep checking. I've had to take some out because they just went haywire.

You really have to have a pretty good handle on how much a conversion is worth to you in order to do it; the initial proposed CPA will probably throw you for a loop.