F-A-Cute's (aka FAQs)
What are pixels?
Pixels are small snippets of code that allow businesses and marketers to track the effectiveness of their digital marketing campaigns. When a user visits a targeted page or completes a targeted action, the pixel communicates with an ad server and is recorded as a conversion. Pixels can also be used to build a retargeting pool.
What is a Cookie?
Cookies are text files with small pieces of data that are used to identify website and page visits, and the products viewed. This information allows companies to suggest other items that might be of interest. Gradually, a profile is built based on browsing history on a site.
Are Cookies going away?
Yes, this 20-year old technology is being replaced by more up-to-date technology.
Why don’t see my ad when I look for it myself?
There are a few reasons: Google Adwords is a rotating auction that spreads your daily budget throughout the day, and just may not be serving up your ad at that particular moment.
Google aims to only show you ads that are relevant to your search/interests, so if you are constantly searching for an ad & not clicking through, Google may deem the ad irrelevant and stop serving it to you.
Google aims to only show you ads that are relevant to your search/interests, so if you are constantly searching for an ad & not clicking through, Google may deem the ad irrelevant and stop serving it to you.
If you DO see your ad, avoid clicking on it! Why?
You will be charged for a click that is not from an actual customer. And, if you search for your ad and do not click, your CTR will decrease, which impacts other important metrics like quality score and CPA. Remember, if you search for your own ad and it does display, you may be taking an impression away from a legitimate searcher.
Why is a click-through rate (CTR) sometimes low?
There are a number of possible reasons: creative copy isn't appealing enough, there's a technical issue with the click-through URL embedded in the ad, and so on. In today's digital landscape, CTR is an outdated metric and should not be focused on. Most users nowadays do not click on online ads, but rather see the ad and then visit the advertiser’s website later. In this case, CTR would seem stagnant but conversions from post-impression visit (i.e., after being served an ad) will increase. Focus on what matters most to your business - number of leads, cost per lead, etc. - and use that as a gauge of success.
How come my media reporting doesn't match my Google Analytics?
Trying to compare Google Analytics data to data out of an ad server is like comparing dog treats and cat treats. Google Analytics, while a great tool, is not inherently capable of tracking post-impression data like an ad server would. That said, only when a user clicks on an ad (assuming UTM codes are properly in place), will data from marketing media render in Google Analytics. It's best practice to not compare the two data sets, but instead layer them on top of each other to get a more cohesive picture of your marketing efforts.
I just heard about a hot, new digital tactic. Should I give it a try?
While it’s tempting to jump in with an emerging digital media tactic, we counsel our clients to proceed cautiously with these “bright shiny objects,” and not to dilute the effectiveness of their campaigns by moving away from tried-and-true performers.
What’s the most important tactic I should run?
This is a tough question because it really depends on what you are promoting and the audience you are trying to reach. Let's walk through your unique situation together and see what would be best for you!
