PPC


3
Jul 12

How to Efficiently Drive Online Traffic and Effectively Measure Offline Phone Conversions

In today’s multi-channel world, people are searching online, visiting stores to test out the products, returning to the Internet to compare prices and then completing the purchases either online, in the store or over the phone.

With so much competition on the web, it can be a race to the top of the search engine lists page. Search engine optimization is important for businesses to rank organically over time, but what if you’re looking for immediate results? Generating a substantial amount of traffic through a search engine marketing (SEM), sometimes referred to as cost-per-click or pay-per-click, campaign may costs thousands of dollars in order to increase sales and in the end it may be clear as to how many thousands of potential consumers saw and clicked on the ad, but unclear as to how many of those potential customers followed through and converted offline via a phone call. Marketers must be prepared to measure the offline conversions in order to justify the spending. When marketers simply measure clicks alone, they don’t have a complete picture of the conversion value.

By utilizing SEM as well as a source or keyword level call tracking service, businesses will be able to efficiently drive online traffic and effectively measure the campaign that drove the call along with the sale that happened as a result.

Our new white paper, Your Guide to Driving Online Traffic and Measuring Offline Phone Conversions, was written in collaboration with Elite SEM, a New York based digital marketing agency. In this whitepaper we review how to leverage online advertising to its fullest by generating quality SEM and measuring offline phone conversion with the latest advances in phone call tracking.

For questions regarding this whitepaper please contact Pamela McGowan.

 


5
Dec 11

Why Local SEO is More Important Now Than Ever Before

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is talked about a lot between marketers. The reason it’s always in conversation is because of its importance. It ultimately improves the visibility of a web page or website in search results. Think of SEO as your company’s baseline for online success.  In this post, we touch on SEO essentials, tips from experts and the future of SEO.

Essential Tools

After some research and feedback, we’ve compiled a list of SEO tools. These tools exist so that you may better optimize your marketing efforts. When using SEO tools for your business, you have the ability to become more productive and efficient in your search efforts. The options are endless when looking for SEO tools, so having an expert opinion helps to reduce information overload. Sage Lewis, Founder of SageRock Digital Marketing provided his list of SEO tools he uses the most. A few of his favorites are listed below:

As more tools are introduced and technology gets better, some options may better serve your business. For now, our advice is to focus on keyword research and ensure your website is content rich. To achieve the best results in SEO – a combination of strategy, content placement and the use of SEO tools are required.

What does the future of SEO look like?

Most marketers have a solid understanding of how to improve both organic and paid search. However, with 50% of mobile users relying on their Smartphones for searching the web, new mobile features may pose a threat. For instance, the questions swirling the web right now involve the importance of Apple’s new feature, Siri.  Voice recognition software is now gaining traction in the mobile space. Just the iPhone alone has raised the bar of importance on how these advancements ultimately affect SEO. Siri is touted for being an iPhone user’s personal assistant that can do anything you ask it to. This looks good and sounds good, but can mean big trouble for local SEO.

How much trouble? Apple reported selling four million iPhone 4S models since its release. Going by statistics, there is a potential for two million iPhone 4S users to search the web via Siri. The problem lies in local search, where it may be convenient to ask Siri, it’s becoming less common to rely on the accuracy of search engines. Siri works by automating search for you, so it chooses how it gets that information. As stated in the article, How Apple’s Siri Could Destroy Local SEO, “Little is known about how exactly Siri collects and processes information, although it’s reasonable to assume that the program is drawing on well-cultivated public data sources, including Google Places, Yelp and similar sites.”

With Siri’s potential to use third party applications as part of the search information gathering, traffic from traditional sites could deteriorate. In order to make sure your site will survive the voice recognition threat, it needs to stay as accessible to search engines as possible. Going back to the basics of SEO, being active on social networks and enhancing your site for mobile are key factors to success. As long as your information is accurate and your site is easy to navigate, your business – with Siri’s help or not, will stay strong.


28
Oct 11

Understanding Google’s New Search Default Restrictions

Google has found a way to start tightening the rope around search, and more specifically, SEO. According to Brad Reynolds, CEO at Mongoose, “Google is changing the face of web analytics by encrypting search results.” As a result of this change, anyone who logs into their Google account (i.e. Google+, Gmail) and then conducts a search via Google will no longer have referrer data sent along with it. That referrer data reveals what search terms were used in order to find a particular business or website. Paid ads, however, will not be affected by this change.

Who does this impact?

In a blog post, Google says less than 10% of searches will be affected by this change. Additionally, in a Search Engine Land Article, Matt Cutts a Google Software Engineer estimates the affected traffic to be 1-2% of search volume.  Aggregate query data will continue to be available and include visits from users who are not signed into a Google account. This change only concerns organic search results while the user is logged into a Google account. It does not impact direct traffic, PPC traffic or affiliated traffic.

How does this affect the user experience?

In the Search Engine Land article: Google to Begin Encrypting Searches & Outbound Clicks By Default with SSL Search, Danny Sullivan does a great job of describing the setbacks from this change. This encryption prevents sophisticated keyword-based targeting from being used. It is almost as if we’re taking a step backwards in the progression of custom and personalized information. Instead of creating a better user experience, this is essentially making the consumer work harder. Take for example someone searching for a specific product, but since referrer data isn’t passed along to the company, the user lands on a basic web page. Now the user has to navigate through the website in order to find their particular product – essentially making the entire process more time consuming for the user. As a marketer, having the capability to track and analyze specific keyword information will become harder to obtain.

Why the change?

There is much speculation and controversy around why this change has been made. The majority of comments we have seen believe it is a way for Google to make more money and gain competitive advantage. Google mentions there is a growing importance of protecting the privacy of personalized search results. In an effort to protect users and their privacy, Google feels this is reason enough.

There are two additional facts we find to be confusing. First, Google will continue to offer this data to their paid advertisers, which seems inconsistent with the goal of protecting user privacy. Second, Google will continue to gather this organic search result information without passing it on, thus giving them exclusive intelligence related to search results. Some say this will hurt small businesses that cannot afford to pay for online marketing services, while others mention that this is a step in the right direction towards protecting the privacy of the consumer. The debate will be ongoing as more people become aware of this change in the marketing and SEO world.

With change, there is naturally going to be resistance. Like many changes, there will be pros and cons. At the moment, Mongoose is more interested in the long-term effects. Specifically, we’re curious to know how this will impact the way we search and if this will become a standard across all search engines. Will referrer data one day disappear for good – paid or not? Again, going back to Search Engine Land’s article, Sullivan claims that the future is clear:

“Referrer data is going away from search engines, and likely from other web sites, too. It’s somewhat amazing that we’ve had it last this long, and it will be painful to see that specific, valuable data disappear.”

Let’s say he’s right and this data disappears from search engines, what does this mean for social? Most users are searching via social already; perhaps this is an attempt by Google to gain traction in the social space as well. Although Google+ is not the most popular network in the social world, this might be the first step towards making that a reality. For now, Facebook and Twitter continue to own the social search arena. Users trust their friends’ feedback, comments and likes, which is something you don’t have in search engines. However, with Google, you do have the +1 option – but you need to be on Google+ for that function.

Your thoughts?

What do you think about what Google is doing? Are you for or against this change? Please leave any comments and suggestions below.


24
Oct 11

Smart Marketing Insights From eMetrics NYC

Last week Mongoose Metrics visited New York City to attend the eMetrics Marketing Optimization Summit. The show’s focus was to help marketers and web analytics professionals turn data into insight. The keynote speakers included people from Expedia, IBM, eBay, Nissan, eMarketer and more. Surely these folks know the importance of obtaining data to develop critical insights that help today’s businesses succeed. As a marketing director, those insights are what I’m after too.

So what did I learn at the eMetrics show? Below are just a handful of insights that I feel are worth sharing.emetrics logo

  • Research shows that transparency equals trust. We all know that today’s consumers trust each other more than marketers.
  • Of course we all want good, reliable customer and analytical data to make good business decisions. But decisions must be made nonetheless. Go to war with the data you have, not the data you wish you had.
  • When trying to see a holistic view of your online social data, combine mentions from all networks at least to record the data – even if you’re not entirely accurate on the sentiment.
  • Be aware of the audience you’re in. Marketing speak isn’t going to cut it. As marketers we have to listen. Over time that listening leads to learning. Monitor social & understand what your customers say. Use their language in your ads, keywords, etc.
  • Mobile isn’t the future. It’s now. Don’t wait to embrace mobile. Companies like eBay that rely largely on online commerce recognize this and are quickly developing solutions to serve today’s tech-savvy mobile consumer.

Feel free to share any additional insights from the show or else comment on the ideas I’ve mentioned.

 

 

 


18
Oct 11

Top 10 Takeaways from the DrivingSales Executive Summit

Mongoose Metrics recently had the opportunity to attend The DrivingSales Executive Summit (DSES) and talk with some of the brightest minds in the automotive dealer industry.  From the moment we walked into the Bellagio Hotel conference center, we knew this show was going to be full of valuable content. We’ve shared the key takeaways from the show in this post. We hope you enjoy reading the quotes that we felt really resonated with us – a mix highlighting social media, mobile and the current automotive consumer.

  1. The automotive industry is not a one size fits all industry – this was the way it was approached in the past
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  3. 1 in 7 searches are mobile
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  5. Social tools are becoming most effective in the post sale dealer/brand locality
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  7. 37% of buyers use social as a part of the decision making process
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  9. Twitter is like wearing a Speedo….if you don’t like it, don’t look at it
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  11. 27% of people use FB as a part of the buying process. This number is more than all sales from Toyota and Ford combined
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  13. 91% of car buyers want to see service reviews before purchasing a car
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  15. Successful companies know how to give customers a “Beyond the Moment” experience
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  17. A negative purchase experience in the past would result in the exposure to 7-10 people, now it is 700-1,000
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  19. When researching a vehicle, prospects look at the top three resources:  independent sites, search engines, and dealer websites. You have no control over independent sites.  You have limited control over search engines. You have complete control over your dealer websites

The underlying theme throughout these quotes and the conference itself was understanding your customer. With the increasing popularity of social media, the rapid growth of mobile devices and the wealth of information available on the web, consumers have wider access to information to make them smarter about the buying process. DrivingSales clearly understands the importance of leveraging customer data to help move them through the automotive buying process today.

If you were at the show and want to share your takeaways please leave a comment.


7
Oct 11

Exploding Growth of Mobile Search Makes Call Tracking Essential for the Automotive Industry

Visitors to mobile auto sites grew 463% over the course of one year. The demand for mobile phone conversion solutions is critical. With the rise of mobile internet becoming the leading platform of web browsing, dealers must address this channel now or risk losing revenue.

Mobile Call Tracking Drives Conversion for Dealers

With one in seven searches happening via mobile, automotive retailers can’t afford to ignore the growing demand for mobile conversion solutions. A comScore study reported 21% of users access auto content almost every day and 48% access the content one to three times a month. Combining call tracking features with mobile conversion optimization enables marketers to engage mobile visitors, drive mobile sales conversions and help create competitive advantage. Consider the example scenario below:

Jane is looking to purchase a new car. She opens Google on her mobile browser and searches for “Used Ford Escape Dallas, Texas” This search takes her to a number of results, showing many options of used Ford vehicles being offered at various dealers in the Dallas region. She clicks on a prominent search result for John Ford Auto.

We know she is in the Options stage of the Buying Process, and we only have 9 seconds to get her attention. Using Mongoose’s Mobile Call Track technology, John Ford Auto pushes a special mobile alert to Jane 5 seconds into her visit that says, “We have your SUV, touch to call us now.” Jane clicks the mobile alert and her mobile phone populates with the number for John Ford Auto. The dealership gets the sale and Jane drives away in her Ford Escape. John Ford Auto knows that they won the sale thanks to Mongoose technology – because the conversion and phone call are recorded for easy tracking.

The Mongoose Metrics’ Mobile Call Track solution for automotive offers several powerful  features for customers that are serious about making mobile a part of their automotive marketing strategy:

  • Right Time, Right Place action triggers, which rescue visitors before they abandon your mobile website.
  • Increase & Measure Conversions – Auto dealers realize an immediate lift in mobile conversions of up to 30%– with ROI potential to increase overtime from 45 – 100%.
  • Seamless integration – Integrate with web analytics, bid management and CRM software for easy, consistent reporting.

With a growing number of searches being conducted via mobile phones, having statistics to understand the behavior of your customers is critical. The power to increase mobile conversions is yours. Are you equipped to drive more sales from your mobile site? Start now by contacting us today!


6
Oct 11

Conversion Rates are 41% Lower on Mobile – Boost Your Mobile Conversions With Mobile Call Tracking

There are more than 300 million mobile phones in the U.S. (a number close to our country’s entire population). At least 12% of their time is spent on mobile sites. Your prospects have an attention span of about 9 seconds. If you don’t capture their attention within that short amount of time, you risk losing the conversion. With mobile growth exploding, the demand for mobile phone conversion solutions is critical. Boost your mobile conversions with Mongoose Metrics’ Mobile Call Track Suite.

Mobile Call Tracking Drives Conversions

With one in seven searches happening via mobile, marketers can’t afford to ignore the growing demand for mobile conversion solutions. Combining call tracking features with mobile conversion optimization enables marketers to engage mobile visitors and drive mobile sales conversions.

Consider the example scenario below:

Sally is looking to purchase a new HP laptop computer. She does what 99% of people in the U.S. do when they’re researching new products – she searches Google. Sally opens her mobile browser and searches for “HP laptops on sale Cleveland, Ohio” This search takes her to a number of results, showing an array of HP laptops being offered at retailers throughout the Cleveland, Ohio region. She clicks on a search result for Bob’s Computers.

We know she is in the Options stage of the Buying Process, and we only have 9 seconds to get her attention. Using Mongoose’s Mobile Call Track technology, Bob’s Computers pushes a special mobile alert to Sally 5 seconds into her visit that says, “We have your laptop, touch to call us now.” Sally clicks the mobile alert and her mobile phone populates with the number for Bob’s Computers. Bob gets the sale and Sally gets her new HP laptop. Bob knows that he won the sale thanks to Mongoose technology because the conversion and phone call are recorded for easy tracking.

The Mongoose Metrics’ Mobile Call Track Suite offers several powerful features for customers that are serious about making mobile a part of their marketing strategy:

  • Right Time, Right Place action triggers- which rescue visitors before they abandon your mobile website.
  • Increase & Measure Conversions– Realize an immediate lift in mobile conversions of up to 30%– with ROI potential to increase overtime from 45 – 100%.
  • Seamless integrationIntegrate with web analytics, bid management and CRM software for easy, consistent reporting.

With a growing number of searches being conducted via mobile phones, having statistics to understand the behavior of your customers is critical. The power to increase mobile conversions is yours. Start now by contacting us today!


29
Sep 11

The Forgotten PPC Metric: Phone Call Conversions

Pay per click (PPC) advertising is used to drive traffic to your brand’s website, and is typically measured using online analytics. However, the most successful PPC campaigns are those that can capture and associate any form of lead conversion with a specific campaign, ad, keyword and landing page.

The missing, and often forgotten, piece to this lead conversion picture is the phone call. To effectively capture these offline conversions and tie them to your PPC campaigns, you need to integrate a PPC call tracking solution.

PPC 360° — Tracking a Complete View

When you combine phone calls with online form completions, you can gather valuable insight into campaign performance that will help you evaluate your PPC campaign and maximize returns. Specifically, you can use this information to evolve:

  • Keyword Selection: With call tracking and web analytics, you can identify the keywords that are driving lead conversions. Use this information to understand what terms drive the highest quality traffic, and then build out your campaigns using these terms, and direct synonyms, to increase conversions. At the same time, cut back on, or eliminate, the keywords that don’t result in conversions.
  • Bid Management: With the top lead-producing keywords identified, you can better manage how much you are willing to bid on each for top placement. If you know a keyword drives conversions, you can use ROI to justify spending more money per click. At the same time, you can reduce spend on keywords that are not driving adequate lead volume.
  • PPC Advertising Budget: With call tracking and web analytics showing you all lead conversions, you can make informed decisions on whether you are receiving an acceptable ROI on your PPC investment, and compare its return to other marketing and advertising initiatives. Depending on PPC rate of return, you may consider allocating more budget toward your campaign, or conversely, shift budgets away from PPC advertising to other, more effective marketing campaigns.
  • Landing Page Design and CTAs: The most successful PPC campaigns have a clear call to action, for example make a purchase, fill out a lead form, download content or call for additional information. Evaluate landing page design and CTA performance based on both online and offline conversion data. What may look like the best CTA in online analytics may not prove the best when you account for phone calls. Understand how your audiences prefer to communicate and what resonates with them, and then prompt them to take action based on their preferences as to improve conversion rates.

How to Integrate Call Tracking into Your PPC Campaign

The reason for integrating call tracking into PPC advertising is clear: it provides a full picture of campaign performance, helping you make informed investments.

Here are four quick steps to get started with call tracking for PPC.

  • First, work with a call tracking provider for initial setup.
  • Add call tracking numbers throughout your website, either by manually placing them on individual landing pages or integrating a call tracking Javascript snippet into your website’s HTML code.
  • Next, integrate PPC call tracking into your paid advertisements. Google offers a phone number ad extension, or you can also integrate numbers into ad copy or within the imagery of display ads.
  • Finally, assess complete ad performance and conversion rate by feeding your call-tracking data into web analytics and PPC platforms. Depending on the call tracking solution used, this data can be automatically piped into your PPC account dashboard.

With call tracking integrated into your PPC campaigns, you can have a complete view of conversions, even when a lead picks up the phone to call. Analyze your campaigns; test new keywords, ads, bid strategies and landing pages; then evolve based on conversion data, and start the process again.

What successes have you had using call tracking for PPC?

 


14
Sep 11

Less is More…Funneling the Right Sales Leads for Higher Conversions

Poll your sales team: Would they rather receive three well-qualified leads from marketing next month, or 15 cold ones? Well-qualified leads will win every time.

Even with sales cycles lengthening and becoming more complex, a 2011 SiriusDecisions survey of B2B sales and marketing leaders found that top-performing companies are using business intelligence technology to approach the sales pipeline with an emphasis on identifying higher-quality leads.

The concept may seem counter-intuitive, but less, better-qualified leads are actually easier for sales to work with:

  • Sales representatives have busy calendars. Filling them up with calls or meetings with non-qualified leads is a waste of time and resources.
  • Cold calls or reps that come off as too aggressive too early in the buying cycle may turn off potential customers that are not ready to make a purchase decision, ruining chances of future sales.
  • When marketing is able to hand a lead over to sales with a complete history already established, it leads to a shorter process for the rep, and shorter sales cycle overall.
  • Sales can tailor messaging to leads that have qualified themselves, making each interaction more effective.

“Too many raw, unqualified leads can create a clogged marketing and sales process and an unhealthy sales funnel.” Why Your Sales Force Needs Fewer Leads, PointClear, LLC

qualifying leads through call trackingToday’s marketing and sales business intelligence technologies—including web analytics, call tracking, and CRM systems—enable marketers and sales reps to work together to maintain a tighter pipeline-to-quota ratio and grow sales.

Complete Analytics Qualifies Marketing Leads

Spending on online advertising specifically aimed to generate leads has grown by $12 billion in the last four years. Once you have a lead’s attention, tracking activity and scoring leads is made simple through comprehensive analytics that measure online and offline activity.

Web Analytics

Consumer buying habits indicate that overall, 43 percent of consumers go online to research before buying. This number increases for technology purchases, as well as other complex purchases.

Track online activity to target your most qualified leads. If marketing can remove the qualification process from sales’ plate by placing leads into a nurturing program, assessing actions, and profiling the most qualified prospects, it can confidentially deliver a narrow list of well-qualified leads (and their lead history) to sales.

Call Tracking

Web analytics are great, but all is lost when a lead picks up the phone. When a lead calls, he or she is taking a proactive step in the decision-making process, and you should have the technologies in place to track and report on these prospects.

Integrating call tracking with marketing activities through one-to-one and Javascript integration, you can monitor offline lead activity, including how leads found you and what prompted them to call.  Analyze these reports to score and qualify leads that reach out to you by phone.

CRM Systems

What tools are best used to house lead history, and combine efforts of marketing and sales? A sound customer relationship management (CRM) system is a necessity to make the process between marketing and sales flow effectively.

Track lead timelines, history, actions, touchpoints, demographic and firmographic information, who’s responsible for the lead (sales vs. marketing), and more with CRM software. You can also use a CRM to evaluate and prioritze all leads in your database.

Good Lead, Bad Lead.

Another challenge for marketers is defining a qualified lead. Once you have compiled your lead history, what should you look for, and what information should you provide to sales?

What determines a qualified lead will change for specific business cases, but here’s a list to get started. Consider these parameters when building lead forms so you have the information needed to evaluate:

  • Budget
  • Decision-making timeline
  • How the lead found you
  • Lead history, interactions and touch points

Have you found success with a “less-is-more” approach to sales leads? Share your experiences in the comments below.

 


19
Jul 11

Track Mobile Advertising Campaign Conversions with Call Tracking and Web Analytics

Call tracking for mobile advertisingSmartphone adoption continues to explode with the ever-improving advancements in mobile technology. The introduction of faster networks and phones, greater data sharing capabilities and better user interfaces have enabled smartphones to dominate the mobile market.

According to a May 2011 report from comScore Inc., 76.8 million Americans use smartphones — 11 million more users than the previous three-month period. Additionally, Nielsen’s May survey of U.S. consumers concluded that 38 percent of all mobile consumers now own smartphones.

More companies are integrating mobile advertising into their marketing campaigns in response to consumer behavior and trends.. In fact, comScore Inc. reported that spending on mobile advertising in the U.S. is projected to reach $2.5 billion by 2014.

Mobile advertising offers companies the ability to reach busy consumers.. Using web analytics and call tracking, marketers can find the data needed to track consumer behavior and conversion rates, and evolve their campaigns to be more effective for targeting mobile audiences.

Mobile Advertising and Marketing Tactics

The following provides details on three common mobile advertising/marketing options, and how to effectively track results.

Mobile display ads

Display advertising strategically places a company’s ad and a concise call to action among relevant content — e.g. within an app, video or mobile site. Mobile display ads consist of text, logos, images, banners or maps whichdirect a user to the company site, conversion form or phone number.

Similar to desktop advertising, mobile display ads are tracked by web analytics and call tracking systems which monitor the conversion rates of individual ads.

While web analytics will provide you with information on visitor behavior and click through patterns, the call tracking number associated with a campaign will capture a caller’s mobile conversion source and other relevant information. Together, these tools will provide you with lead details needed to track campaign effectiveness and improve sales follow up.

Mobile PPC

Mobile PPC, or pay-per-click, is used for mobile search advertising. According to Google, mobile search queries represent approximately 15 percent of all search volume, and continue to grow at a rapid pace. In response to this growing opportunity, advertisers are turning to mobile PPC campaigns.

Click-to-call functionality makes mobile PPC particularly convenient and effective for mobile searchers seeking immediate information. However, to properly evaluate the results of your campaign, you should consider integrating PPC call tracking into your paid ads and web analytics and call tracking on the designated landing page(s).

Mobile Text Messaging (SMS)

Text message campaigns are used by a range of organizations to connect with audiences on the go, providing customers with easy access to relevant information.

For example, Scotts Miracle-Gro’s SMS campaign provides mobile users with a short-code texting option that automatically sends tips on lawn care, and upon activation requests an email address for delivery of the campaign newsletter. In essence, Scotts has leveraged mobile marketing efforts to further engage its customer base and drive email subscriptions.

Additionally, local and service-based businesses can include call tracking numbers within mobile SMS campaigns to better track customers who then make appointments or reservations, purchase tickets, cash in on special offers, or simply call with questions.

Tracking Mobile Campaign Performance

Smartphones offer users the accessibility to surf the web, find information relevant to their needs and take immediate action, such as access a website or call a local business or hotline. With effective mobile campaigns in place, along with data from analytics and call tracking tools, you can properly evaluate your efforts and capitalize on this fast-growing marketplace.

Have you integrated mobile into your advertising and marketing campaigns? If so, what have you found effective for monitoring conversion rates and overall success?

Additional Resources: