Google Search Campaign Analysis
Overview
Compared to industry averages, our campaign in Maine found that
- Goolge Search CPC is high
- Google Search CTR is low
As a result, we believe that that Google Search ads would not show positive ROI for Quill & Pigeon
| Keyword | Estimated Clicks | Estimated Impressions | Estimated Cost | Estimated CTR | Estimated avg. CPC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birthday Card | 23 | 492 | $63.05 | 4.67% | $2.74 |
| Greeting Card | 19 | 478 | $55.60 | 3.97% | $2.93 |
| Send a Card | 7 | 110 | $42.55 | 6.36% | $6.08 |
| Online Card | 4 | 57 | $12.48 | 7.02% | $3.12 |
| Personalized Card | 4 | 57 | $23.83 | 7.02% | $5.96 |
| Ecard | 2 | 81 | $12.94 | 2.47% | $6.47 |
The biggest takeaway from the keyword data above is that Quill and Pigeon has been able to compete well in the highly competitive market for both Birthday cards and Greeting cards. We have not had to rely on more niche keywords to get clicks and have been able to find success in simply “birthday card” and “greeting card”. It is also surprising how rewarding the Ecard campaign has been
| Ad Group | Estimated Clicks | Estimated Impressions | Estimated Cost | Estimated CTR | Estimated avg. CPC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Totals | 46 | 1,284 | $168.46 | 3.58% | $3.66 |
| Greeting Cards | 26 | 647 | $40.71 | 4.02% | $4.17 |
| Birthday Cards | 15 | 452 | $40.71 | 3.32% | $2.71 |
| Ecards | 5 | 141 | $19.26 | 3.55% | $3.85 |
| Halloween Cards | 0 | 39 | $0 | 0% | $0 |
A problem with analyzing this campaign is in the small nature of its sample size. This campaign functioned as an experiment and was continuously adjusted accordingly as unwanted issues popped up. Because of the small sample size, these issues may impact total results even after they have been fixed. One example of this is the high CPC for printing services. Unwanted clicks for search terms, “where to print greeting cards” and “postcard printing services” cost well above the average CPC of 7.68 and $7.42 respectively. Because our average CPC is only accounting for 46 clicks, these unwanted clicks that resulted in keyword adjustments, shift the CPC upwards. Another example is in unwanted impressions as a result of the keywords Rockland and Portland. There is a chunk of search terms such as “house for rent in Portland Maine” and “ac hotel Portland downtown waterfront ME prices” that are a result of these keywords that are irrelevant to Quill and Pigeon and the search campaign. These unrelated searches dilute the CTR of the campaign because of its small sample size.
Overall I think the campaign was a success in its goal of an experiment. This said I think it calls into question the viability of a Google Search Ad campaign as a marketing strategy for this stage of Quill and Pigeon. Its average CTR of 3.58% is low compared to the industry average for shopping, collectibles, and gifts, which is 7.81%. The average CPC of 2.61. Another similar industry, florists, also has a lower average CPC of $2.40. The industry also has a low conversion rate of only 3.49%. Although I believe the CPC can be taken lower if the next campaign is further refined, I am unsure if it can be taken to or below the industry average. I think it is important to factor in that the industry is vague and gifts and collectibles. These types of products are often browsed by consumers and would likely have a lower conversion rate than Quill and Pigeon. This would require more market research to verify. It is also important to note that Quill and Pigeon is a subscription service right now. A low conversion rate could be viable if the lifetime value of customers acquired are high enough. Finding the LTV of customers is a critical metric for analyzing the viability of a Google Ad campaign. Lastly, it needs to be emphasized that a lot of this data needs to be taken as a grain of salt due to the small sample size and the short time period the campaign was executed. It is almost important to keep in mind that the industry averages the Quill and Pigeon campaign is being compared to are vague and have variance. The CPC may be very different for greeting cards specifically or for the state of Maine and this once again would require more market research and tools to look into.