Analyzing PPC conversion data is where most B2B search marketers spend their time. They adjust budgets and bids to ensure adequate funding of the top converting keywords (i.e. keywords that record a conversion, at an acceptable cost, within the 30-day tracking window, based on user cookies).

This method makes sense and is common among B2B marketers, but it may not be the most effective method. Savvy B2B marketers look outside the “conversion box”, understand their prospects’ search process, and optimize campaigns based on ROI (not just immediate conversions). Explore more PPC management options.

Google Search Funnels
You will find important conversion information such as Search Funnels in the Reporting and Tools section of Adwords.
Generally, search funnels can show you some of your searchers behavior over a period of time. You will be able to see key terms, ad groups, and campaigns that help generate conversions.
Using this information correctly will certainly enable you to better manage your budgets and bids, boost your ROI, and help you get the edge on your competitors.

Comprehending Searcher Behavior
If you want your campaign to be successful, you must understand how your prospective customers are searching especially if your product or service is complex. It is common for business buyers to first research, then compare, then decide which to buy.

Search engines, the Internet and your business’s website are crucial for a long term, multi-channel sales strategy. B2B companies that sell complex products and services can benefit greatly from search funnels and the important customer behavior data they provide.

Those who are search funnel novices should first look at these 3 reports:

1.Path Length
2.Time Lag
3.Assisted Conversions

How Many Clicks Are Needed?
First, familiarize yourself with the average path length. How many clicks are typically required before your prospect/customer converts online?
Searchers who are early in their buying process may not be ready to register for a white paper the first time they click on one of your PPC ads.

For example, you could find out that your average prospect is clicking on 5 ads before they decide to “convert” and fill out a form.

How Long Will This Take?
After that, take a look at the Time Lag Report. This analysis will give you an idea of how long it takes prospects to convert.

Many consumer-oriented campaigns involve low-cost, spontaneous purchase decisions. When dealing with this type of campaign, conversion paths aren’t long and there isn’t much time-to-conversion to speak of.

However, for high-consideration business decisions, conversion usually involves multiple impressions/clicks and the time required to persuade a prospect to convert (even simply completing an online registration form) may take weeks or months. Get more information on PPC services.

What Is A Typical Search Process?
After that, you should check out the Assisted Conversions Report. This report will give you an in depth look at what prospective customers are searching for before they convert.

In the case where there are a bunch of impressions and clicks before users complete the desired action, you should dig in and find out what prospects are doing prior to conversion and adjust bids to favor high converting keywords.

Review At Least Once A Month
At this time, assist data is not included in the AdWords interface at the keyword level. B2B marketers must proactively utilize Search Funnel reports, review the data, and determine how to modify campaigns, budgets and bids based on their findings.

While digging into this data every day or even every week might take more time than you have, reviewing these 3 recommended reports once a month can provide significant insights into prospects’ behavior and enable you to more accurately set budgets and bids and optimize campaigns.

Ensure You Provide The Correct Funds To High Converting Keywords
The goal here is to find which keywords are helping conversions, but aren’t really converting themselves. By ignoring your search funnel analysis, you will end up under funding your these important key terms.

Focusing on these assisting terms as well as your top converters, can set your PPC campaign ahead of your competitors and give you a strategic edge.

In many industries, these less obvious words are much less expensive than the well known top converting words. Explore more PPC management options.

Look At The Big Picture
Nearly all B2B marketers focus on conversion activity presented in their PPC accounts. Today, this has become a baseline, “must-do” PPC optimization task.

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