Google is finally allowing advertisers to see where their ads are shown on the content network.

However, Google even goes further and allows advertisers to see the conversion and click through rates by content site.

Google’s newest beta report allows advertisers to run reports that are specific to the content network. Finally, advertisers can have full visibility into the often hidden world of the content network.

This will finally allow advertisers to learn:

• Where their ads are being shown
• What sites are converting
• Understand if they wish to use site targeting
• Which sites to block from displaying your ads
• What smart pricing is really doing for your costs

This will mean very different things for both publishers and advertisers. Today, the focus is the advertiser.

How to find Content Network Information

In your AdWords account, go to the ‘reports’ tab and find ‘placement reporting. Selecting this button will let you run a content network report.

There are several options for segmenting the data under the ’settings section’.

• Level of detail
  • AdGroup
  • Campaign
  • Account
• Domain or URL
• Time View (summary, daily, etc)
• Date Range
• Which campaigns or AdGroups to include

Next is the good part, customize your columns. You can also view conversions! Finally, advertisers will have the ability to view conversions and clicks by site across the entire content network.

Finally, you can filter, save the report template, etc.

While you’re waiting for the report to run, Google displays the following box:

Placement Performance report tips: This report shows performance metrics (including impressions, clicks, and cost) for content network sites displaying your ads. When you review these metrics:

• Don’t focus on clickthrough rate (CTR): Content network CTR doesn’t affect your ad ranking on the search network. Learn more.
• Think in terms of conversions: You can use Google’s free Conversion Tracking tool to determine whether site performance meets your ROI objectives. Learn more.
• Consider the site targeting feature: You can increase your exposure on top performing sites. Learn more.
• Wait for statistically significant data: For sites without much performance data, wait a while before making a final judgment. Learn more.

Some of the above information is very important to remember. One should never worry about the click through rate for content. It’s not one of the quality score factors.

And then finally the numbers. You will easily be able to compare site targeting to pay per action ads to every site on the content network where your ads are showing.

No longer will advertisers be in the dark about where their ads are showing. You can now have visibility into the network, block non-converting sites, and even target sites directly that are converting.

This is a huge win for advertisers. Many thanks to AdWords for finally introducing this report. Next, because there’s always more that advertisers desire, would be visibility into search partners.

The key to a successful AdWords campaign is account organization, visibility into numbers, and then optimizing based upon that data.

Finally, advertisers have visibility into the content network numbers. It’s time for content network optimization.

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