Tracking Adwords and Overture conversions

Does anybody have any recomendations for tools/ services they use to track Adwords and Overture listings to see which ones are actually coverting to buys? I heard of GoToast but want to hear from others before plunking down the cash.

Any experiences, good or bad?

 

Most SEOs use/recommend one of the subscription based, web service systems like Conversion Ruler and such. I think they make it easy to track multiple sites.

As a non-SEO business, I prefer to buy a system that I can host on my own server and control my own data. I'm using ProAnalyzer (that's an affiliate link) and it works fine for my needs.

 

Thanks for the link. I've added it to the list of prospective tools when we start a new marketing push in a few weeks.

 

Out of interest Bernard do you know that link won't load in Netscape 7.1. It says it is done but there is nothing on the display. Makes you nervous about the software when the page doesn't load in a standard browser.

 

The link provided has nothing to do with Proanalyzer. It is a javascript "encrypted" affiliate link encapsulated page generated from this tool: http://www.seo-help.com/html-tools/profit-protector.html

The page will render fine if you have javascripting enabled.

 

I have javascripting enabled. But I just tried again for the third or fourth time and it loaded. What did you change?

 

I didn't change anything.

 

Bernard,

I had a quick look at the ProAnalyzer page and it talks about tracking AdWords and Overture click throughs, but what about people who search on a particular keyword phrase from the generic SERPs?

 

What's wrong with the built-in Conversion Tracking?

I use SaleTrack co uk as well to monitor SERPs conversion and other referrals.

 

Can you explain a little further, or give us an URL? I don't understand "built-in Conversion Tracking".

 

Log in to your AdWords and Overture accounts. They both provide free Conversion tracking. Just requires you to install a snippet of code on each page and the confirmation page.

With this I can tell exactly which ads are performing OK and which one's don't.

https://adwords.google.co.uk/select/library/convtracking_oct03.pdf

http://www.content.overture.com/d/UKm/ac/fa/dtcfaq_cc.jhtml

 

I answered this via PM, but I'll answer here again for the benefit of any lurkers:

ProAnalyzer works by creating "tracking URLs" that are really pointed to their CGI engine with a parameter. The CGI engine redirects the browser to the intended page invisibly to the user. The CGI app has logged the user at that point.

All of your landing pages for a successful conversion (ie. thank you, transaction completed successfully, etc. pages) contain a separate piece of code. When the visitor signs up, buys, or whatever action you want to track, the CGI then knows where the visitor came from (and tracks the conversion).

The system works great for PPC campaigns (where you can specify a tracking URL), e-mail campaigns, etc.

Unfortunately, it does not track conversions for traffic coming from direct links (whether a SERP or link partner).

The benefit of this system is that it works whether or not the visitor has javascript enabled, cookies enabled, etc. The data is on your server and private. It is available for a (reasonable) one time fee.

I'm sure there are other systems available that can track all traffic, but they will need to use javascript, cookies, sessions or something to keep track of traffic via direct links.

Since I am not an SEO managing other sites, my needs are simple and ProAnalyzer was sufficient for my needs.

Good luck!

 

SaleTrack does that too. Campaigns via CGI but uses clever code that works if javascript and/or cookies are disabled to record anything that comes in naturally.

 

Sounds intriguing. I just took a look at their site and it appears that it is an ASP/web based service and not a one time fee solution that you host yourself. The data is stored on their server AFAICT.

 

Yes it is apparently a subscription service. I sent them and inquiry and someone has already called from the UK. But I didn't have time to talk to him when he called and he is going to call again on Monday and we will talk price.

Looks like great software though.

 

Adam is my contact there at SaleTrack and he'll be happy to show you the demo like he showed me.

 

Great to see lots of people appreciating the new technologies out there. I am a user of www.saletrack.co.uk and it is very good. It does do all that is mentioned here, but much more also. It tracks all my sites traffic, telling me where they came from and how much they spent. Without having to use specific tracking links, though the system does generate these for further detailed tracking should you require. It shows me the exact keywords used from engines and also shows me the actual page the visitor came from, re-running the search for me if it was a search engine for example. It then goes on to tell me what spend each word generated.

It also tracks all my email newsletters, and off line magazine adverts, telling me exactly how many people came back to my site from the news letter or ad and then how much each one went on to spend.

With regards to CPC campaigns, it has a costing tool where I can enter how much I am paying for a click and it will then tell me how much i have made and what the costs involved were. Giving me a simple single screen with all my costed advertising listed together.

The final thing I use it for is to track Affiliates to my site. Again in the costing tool i can tell the system what % I want to pay towards my affiliates, I then simply tell the system what URL's are affiliates and it calculates what I owe. Being a 3rd party (not my own info) my affiliates trust the data and we are all happy.

The support team are excellent, always on the end of the phone as one of you mentioned. Implementation was simple. They did it all for me in about 20 mins. They simply inserted two different pieces of Java script into two of my files. The main header file and the 'Thank You' page. Simple.
It is not expensive either. I run on an ST25k package, which is about £30 a month, there are smaller packages and they are all based on unique user statistics.

Hope this has been of some help to you guys.