Better PPC Reports

KAIZEN PPC!

Don’t think of PPC Reports as just some monthly documents you send around to clients each month. Think of them as the catalyst for improving Return on Ad Spending! Custom PPC reports are all about the process of summarizing results and brainstorming each month to find ideas for the coming month to improve results. Get it right, and your PPC Reports will become the driving force for KAIZEN PPC. Go, go, go!!

You can’t create a good Pay Per Click report without developing great recommendations. Clients want to know what exactly their professional ad manager intends to do in the coming month to improve pay per click results. If you’re having difficulties thinking up the next great recommendation, it may be because you’re not digging deep enough into the account.

For accounts which we created (that means they have a logical structure, comprehensive list of keywords and great ads), and which we have managed for several months, it’s not so likely that you are going to find meaningful recommendations at the ad group level. If you want to discover really meanignful recommendations, then dig down into the keywords and ads. It’s there that you’ll find the really valuable nuggets.

Types of PPC Recommendations

There are two types of recommendations which we include in every report, to demonstrate to clients that they can’t live without us: 1) recommendations proving that we are PPC geniuses; and 2) recommendations proving that we are PPC grinders. The first type says to the client, “Hey, you could never have come up with this idea, because we’re PPC Experts; we know more about PPC than you could ever learn.” The second type of recommendation says to the client, “Hey you would never grind out these statistics like we grind them out. You don’t have the time or energy to do so.” Both types of recommendations prove that the client can’t live without us. Kaizen PPC–both types of recommendations demonstrate our commitment to continuously improving PPC results . . . forever. Get it right, and we win a client for life.

For a mature account which we have created ourselves, finding great recommendations can be tough. Doing so requires creativity and enthusiasm. If you love your pay per click account, then you’ll enjoy discovering the next great potential improvement. You’ll love testing the next idea, and every morning you’ll be excited to see the effects of the previous day’s account revisions. [If you haven't a clue what I'm talking about, then it's time for you to find a new job!! Go now!! Run, don't walk, to the nearest exit!! We'll mail you your final paycheck.]

Better Reports for Better Accountability

Our obsession with reporting is based on the premise that reporting can drive accountability, and that better accountability and the reporting process can drive performance. Make promises every month in your reports to clients, then execute the improvements you have promised to undertake, then report on the results, use your new findings to perform new analysis, make new promises, and so on.

Here are some general guidelines to consider when creating reports:

1. Clearly state date ranges for all statistics.
2. Clearly state basis of selection for MDA and recommendations regarding keywords and ads.
3. Don’t cite statistics involving less than 10 instances; they just aren’t interesting.
4. Don’t make any recommendations to do maintenance; of course we’re going to do maintenance–no need to recommend it.
5. Don’t make any recommendations to do some analysis. Just do the analysis and make recommendations based on the results.
6. Don’t submit a report which does not analyze ads and ad space. Improving ad performance is fundamental in improving account performance.
7. If you’re thinking about axing some element of a PPC account (keyword, ad group, ad), make sure you are proposing to do so on the longest representative reporting period (since the last account refactoring, for example). Don’t axe an account element based on just one month’s performance.
8. Save all your supporting Excel sheets for whatever analysis you perform.
9. Follow PPC Report Formatting Guidelines.
10. The Ad Manager Road Map is your friend. Take care of it, and it will take care of you!

Go, go, go!!