Underappreciated PPC Statistics #2: Conversion Rate

You might think I'm crazy. Conversion Rate? Underappreciated? That's one of the big ones! The ones clients always ask about. The one you're always trying to optimize. How could it possibly be underappreciated? Here's how:

Too often we worry about lowering cost-per-click without considering how it affects conversion rate. We can direct more traffic to lower-cost informational keywords and away from high-quality intent-driven keywords. Then we pat ourselves on our backs for doing a great job because we've lowered the cost-per-click even though the client is seeing fewer conversions. Any decrease in the conversion rate is passed off as problems with the website or changes in the industry--not our problem.

So let's make sure we put enough focus on conversion rate and get the results that matter--leads. None of this means to avoid low conversion rate keywords. For the right cost-per-click, any keyword can be profitable. But let's make sure these keywords are good for the bottom line.