Comments on: Interpreting AdWords statistics http://www.web1marketing.com/blog/index.php/archives/interpreting-adwords-statistics/ News and Views on SEO, SEM, and Web Design Thu, 08 Sep 2011 20:16:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Josh http://www.web1marketing.com/blog/index.php/archives/interpreting-adwords-statistics/comment-page-1/#comment-39370 Josh Thu, 14 Jul 2011 19:58:28 +0000 http://www.web1marketing.com/blog/?p=852#comment-39370 Unfortunately in the case above (and a couple of others), the number of impressions is identical, so it's NOT a matter of them being shown a different number of times. Whenever comparing ads, make sure the impressions (or % served) numbers are very similar, otherwise they might not match up in time and thus could have different underlying causes for their different performances. For instance, an ad that runs for January might perform differently from one that runs in July due to seasonal demand. Even partially overlapping isn't sufficient, you need to look at periods that both ads run for the same entire period. For instance, you shouldn't compare performance of an ad for January and February with another for only February as the January performance of the first ad could change for other reasons and skew the two-month results. Unfortunately in the case above (and a couple of others), the number of impressions is identical, so it’s NOT a matter of them being shown a different number of times.

Whenever comparing ads, make sure the impressions (or % served) numbers are very similar, otherwise they might not match up in time and thus could have different underlying causes for their different performances. For instance, an ad that runs for January might perform differently from one that runs in July due to seasonal demand. Even partially overlapping isn’t sufficient, you need to look at periods that both ads run for the same entire period. For instance, you shouldn’t compare performance of an ad for January and February with another for only February as the January performance of the first ad could change for other reasons and skew the two-month results.

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By: Karen Anderson http://www.web1marketing.com/blog/index.php/archives/interpreting-adwords-statistics/comment-page-1/#comment-39367 Karen Anderson Thu, 14 Jul 2011 03:02:07 +0000 http://www.web1marketing.com/blog/?p=852#comment-39367 Now you have me wondering about the validity of some ad tests I ran earlier this year. With wild variation in the clicks rates on identical ads (supposedly show to randomly chosen individuals from the same audience pool) you really have to wonder. I think you are correct in assuming the Google was simply offering one of the ads far more frequently than the other. What if you assume that and then correct for it? You should then be able to derive the original landing page data you were seeking. Now you have me wondering about the validity of some ad tests I ran earlier this year. With wild variation in the clicks rates on identical ads (supposedly show to randomly chosen individuals from the same audience pool) you really have to wonder.

I think you are correct in assuming the Google was simply offering one of the ads far more frequently than the other. What if you assume that and then correct for it? You should then be able to derive the original landing page data you were seeking.

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