Microsoft adCenter Supplies Advertisers with New Conversion Tracking Options

Microsoft adCenter is arguably the most advantageous paid search engine as compared to its main competitors, Google and Yahoo.  What is this argument based on?  Well, one example is in regards to advertising costs.  Google is by far is the most popular search engine of our time, but when you spend a certain amount of money on Google, you can rest assure you will more than likely be spending less than half of that amount on MSN (and from personal search data, most likely for equal or more conversions).

If you are looking to increase visibility but you don’t exactly have the advertising dollars to fit expensive clicks, then advertising on MSN is commonly known as a worthwhile expansion for your search engine marketing campaigns.

As advertising on the internet becomes more and more competitive, we do need the research tools and advantages to help our campaigns grow continuously.  adCenter may be known to some advertisers as an economical benefit, but the tools for growth are limited in comparison to search engines like Google, for example.

After reading an article written by Microsoft adCenter’s Traffic Quality Programme Manager, Brandon Kitts, the good news is that adCenter is on its way toward an even more efficient paid search platform.  Kitts posted an in depth explanation on Microsoft adCenter’s blog about the new conversion tracking options that will be provided to advertisers.

Mr. Kitts says, “In order to achieve the most meaningful conversion counts possible, adCenter is releasing a package of new Conversion counting controls which allows you to specify how you want your events counted. We are offering three options from which you can pick what works best for you”.

Kitts then goes on to explain the options, stating that Conversion Counter Option 1 “will only count the first conversion that occurs after the click.”  Any following conversions will not be counted unless they are a result from a new or alternate click.

Kitts explains Conversion Counter Option 2 as a more “complicated” approach to conversion tracking, but also a more effective approach.  This second option counts one conversion per unique URL.  He says, “This allows users to synchronize adCenter’s conversion counts very closely to their own system.  It does not matter what this conversion page is, what the transaction is, etc. It only matters that the page is unique, so that we can then count it uniquely and not count duplicates.This technique allows you to lock-in the adCenter conversion counting system to your internal definition of the conversion.”

Conversion Counter Option 3 is also known as the “default” version of the bunch since it is equal to the tracking that has always been provided by adCenter.  This option tracks all conversions that result.  Kitts explains this option to be most beneficial for advertisers who “want all of the events to be reported, and they already have sites that are designed to eliminate repeat-visit problems. This option ensures that all conversion events are reported.”

A search engine marketing firm should be able to handle all of these advanced conversion tracking options for you.

I believe that this is a huge step in the right direction for adCenter. These conversion tracking options are some great renovations and will definitely help with campaign improvements. I do, however, agree with the common feedback posted on adCenter’s blog and hope that being able to track revenue will be an option in the near future.