Thanks Content, Part 1

"I feel a very unusual sensation - if it is not indigestion, I think it must be gratitude." ~ Benjamin Disraeli, British Conservative Statesman and Literary Figure, (1804–1881)

What is the Placement Performance Report?

You haven't heard? It's a gift from the gods.

With Goolge PPC, many marketers (like me) are able to bring in names in bunches. Names with an acceptable CPA AND ROI.

But it's always been a catch-22. You see Google has always provided full online statistical, conversion, and financial reporting for the "Search" side of Google AdWords program. The volume is low and steady, but with those reports you can really bring in affordable names.

On the other hand, the best way to bring in the volume with Google has been via the "content" network in addition to the search results. Yet, Google wouldn't release any statistics on this network. In other words, you know your ad is showing up somewhere on the Google network of properties but you couldn't track the keywords or the sites that the names were acquired on. Was it youtube, Gmail, or some very small AdSense site?

We weren't given a clue. Until now.

You can now run what Google calls a "Placement Performance Report" to view metrics for ads that are running on the content network.

Alright!

We can finally start to see some transparency on these content network campaigns. With this new report we can now see the Domain and the actual page URL which your ads are placed, then the corresponding impressions, clicks, CTR, Avg CPC, Cost, Conversions, Conversion Rate, and CPA.

We are no longer flying totally blind - Thank you Google.

Now if we could only get a keyword break down per URL and then, most importantly, to be able to pick and choose the content network sites, then I would be ecstatic.

Sure, I know that is asking alot but if you don't ask you don't get, right?

Nonetheless, this is definitely a step in the right direction.