Databases Reference
In-Depth Information
Metrics
What do we test?
To address this question, you must determine your metrics, which is concerned
with building standards and measuring against them. Metrics, therefore, reflect goals
and the practical application of them being measured to see change in efforts toward
those goals.
We evaluate every aspect of our sponsored-search effort, including every key-
phrase, every ad, every term in an ad, every image, and every display URL, to make
them better. And our focus is quantitative. You, as the owner or advertising profes-
sional, may not like the terms or pictures. You may find the wording odd or juvenile.
You make find the images unattractive or rude. However, it does not matter because
the goal is to develop a campaign that accomplishes the efforts goals. We want the
ads and keyphrases and images that pay.
Why are we concerned about metrics?
Well, conversions have to come from somewhere, and it is advantageous for you
to know where they come from. Metrics inform you of this. In SSA, you compare
the cost and the results of all expenditures on each keyphrase. Therefore, we must
understand some definitions in the measurement area.
Measurement is the assignment of numbers to objects, events, or situations in
accord with some rule (i.e., a
measurement function
[
8
]).
The property of the objects that determines the assignment according to that rule
is called
magnitude
[
8
].
The measurable attribute, the number assigned to a particular object is called its
measure
, the amount or degree of its magnitude [
8
]. It is to be noted that the rule
defines both the magnitude and the measure [
8
].
The metrics of reach and frequency as measurements of sponsored search effects
and analysis have been used in advertising for at least twenty-five years. What should
be reported, however, is effective reach. That is, to be meaningful, media reach and
frequency measurements must be related to advertising communication goals.
Potpourri
: “Correlation does not imply causation” is a common catchphrase in
empirical analysis.
Its meaning is that just because two variables are correlated does not mean that
one causes the other.
Typically, correlation is a necessary but not sufficient condition for causation.
Most advertising has an objective to capture attention and maintain awareness.
Advertising analysts for this reason have measured the effect of frequency based
on communication goals. Thus, if we accept communication measurements, there is
available research now in the public domain that could allow planners to judgmen-
tally set frequency goals to provide better direction in media planning.
In sponsored search, conversions (both offline and online) originate from search
engine traffic. Sometimes this traffic comes from keyphrases that are directly related
