Salesforce for Google AdWords Blog
Salesforce for Google AdWords Blog - Landing Pages
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Web-to-Lead Form Validation
Sep 25, 2007Nobody gets excited about dirty data in a CRM implementation. One great way to keep your data clean is to implement client-side javascript validation with your web-to-lead forms. This is a valuable technique for ensuring that a user completes certain required fields before they can submit your form. Just be careful not to overdo it, implementing excessive form validation will annoy users and cause your conversion rates to drop, so consider any client side validation alongside your marketing objectives.
The Web-to-Lead Validation Call
Simply add the following onsubmit function call to your existing Salesforce web-to-lead forms as shown by green text in the example below. Please note that other javascript functions (such as placing an onclick function on your submit button) are not certified.
<form action="https://www.salesforce.com/servlet/servlet.WebToLead" method="POST" onsubmit="return validation(this);">
<input type=hidden name="oid" value="insert_your_oid_here">
<input type=hidden name="retURL" value="http://www.company.com/thanks.html"><label for="first_name">First Name</label><input id="first_name" maxlength="40" name="first_name" size="20" type="text" /><br>
<label for="last_name">Last Name</label><input id="last_name" maxlength="40" name="last_name" size="20" type="text" /><br>
<label for="email">Email</label><input id="email" maxlength="80" name="email" size="20" type="text" /><br>
<label for="company">Company</label><input id="company" maxlength="40" name="company" size="20" type="text" /><br>
<input type="submit" name="submit">
</form>
The Validation Function
Then include a javascript validation function, either directly in your HTML header or by reference. For example:function validation(form) {
if(form.first_name.value == '') {
alert('Please enter your first name');
form.first_name.focus();
return false;
}
if(form.last_name.value == '') {
alert('Please enter your last name');
form.last_name.focus();
return false;
}
if(form.email.value == '') {
alert('Please enter your email address');
form.email.focus();
return false;
}
if(form.company.value == '') {
alert('Please enter your company');
form.company.focus();
return false;
}
return true;
}
Certififed with Salesforce for Google AdWords
The techniques noted here are supported with standard web-to-lead forms and are certified not to conflict with the website tracking provided by Salesforce for Google AdWords. As always, please contact us with questions via email: sfga (at) salesforce (dot) com -
Why Are You Messin' With My URLs?
Aug 19, 2007We recently received a great question from a savvy AdWords user over on the message boards. We've been asked this question a few times, so we figured that now would be a great time to expand. Scott asks:
Can anyone explain why Salesforce makes updates to the URL's of my Google ads after the initial connection to Google?
What's happening?
Salesforce applies tracking parameters onto the end of the destination URLs of your text ads or keyword-specific destination URLs. You may have noticed this if you edit one of the text ads in your AdWords account.
Why does Salesforce do this?
Google dynamically serves one of your advertisements based on broad/phrase/exact keyword match on a search engine or a contextual match from their content network. The tracking parameters allow salesforce to understand exactly how someone found your website. which keyword? which search term? which ad? which ad group? which google campaign?What do these parameters look like?
Salesforce adds two tracking parameters to the end of your text ads and/or keyword-specific destination URLs. The parameters are _kk and _kt. When added to a URL of a standard text ad, they look something like this:http://www.tatesupplies.com?_kk=equipmentrentals&_kt=3379166f-49a0-431d-a20c-7805d06fa958
How often are these parameters applied?
When you first link an AdWords account to Salesforce, it happens immediately. On an ongoing basis, Salesforce needs to understand if you have added or changed anything in your account. Depending on the size of your AdWords account, Salesforce will make this check every few hours and apply tracking parameters as necessaryWhat if I've got other parameters on my URLs?
That's OK, Salesforce will just add our _kk and _kt parameters onto the end of the string, so we wont muck with any additional tracking you're doing.What if I go into AdWords and delete the Salesforce tracking parameters?
Not to worry, if you've gone into the AdWords UI and messed with the Salesforce tracking parameters, the next time we check for new changes or additions we will recognize that you've altered one of the parameters. In this case, we will automatically fix it.
Does this help Salesforce track organic search as well?
Certainly, when salesforce sees clicks that come from google without tracking codes, we can assume that these clicks did not come from one of your ads, and we can mark them as having come from Google organic search. Learn more...
Can you track clicks from MSN, Yahoo, or my partner websites?
Yes, earlier this year we expanded the tracking to include organic search from MSN, Yahoo, Ask.com, and many other search engines. We also included web referral tracking which will show you clicks that come to your website from other sites on the web, such as your business partners. Learn more...More questions?
Contact the Salesforce for Google AdWords crew.
mailto: sfga@salesforce.com -
Salesforce for Google Adwords Learning Center
Jun 25, 2007To get you started with Salesforce and Google Adwords, we have created a series of short training topics that will help you up get up and running. You can also check your knowledge by taking the quiz associated with each lesson. This training content is updated regularly and you will always find the latest at the official Salesforce learning center
Module 1: What is Salesforce for Google AdWords? Lesson 1: How Will I Use Salesforce for Google AdWords? - 3 Minutes Module 2: How Do I Register for Google AdWords? Lesson 1: How do I Create a New Google AdWords Account? - 2 Minutes Lesson 2: How do I Link an Existing Google AdWords Account with Salesforce? - 2 Minutes Module 3: How Do I Set Up My Website for Lead Tracking? Lesson 1: How do I Create a Web-to Lead Form? - 2 Minutes Lesson 2: How Can I Add Tracking Code to My Website? - 3 Minutes Lesson 3: How do I Test to Confirm Website Setup is Complete? - 1 Minute Module 4: How Do I View Tracked Leads with Salesforce for Google AdWords? Lesson 1: How do I use the Google AdWords Account Summary? - 1 Minute Lesson 2: What are the Lead Source and Lead Source Details? - 2 Minutes Lesson 3: What can I see with Google AdWords Dashboard? - 3 Minutes Lesson 4: How do the Google AdWords Reports work? - 2 Minutes
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Batting Averages and Clickthrough Rates
Apr 3, 2007
John Gartner is obviously a fan of the book, Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game, as am I. Moneyball is a book by Michael M. Lewis released in 2003 about the general manager of the Oakland Athletics, Billy Beane, and his team's approach to running the organization. One of the central tenants of Moneyball, is that in the game of baseball, real statistical analysis has shown that on base percentage and slugging percentage are better indicators of offensive success, and that avoiding an out is more important than getting a hit. In his article, Do Your Metrics Measure Up, John analogizes a batting average in baseball, to a clickthrough ratio for marketers. This begs the question, which metrics are most important to your marketing organization? The Internet has fundamentally changed the way we all live an work. This has never been more true for marketers. As marketing dollars and advertising spend has shifted from Madison Avenue to Amphitheatre Parkway, marketers can measure almost every aspect of the performance of their marketing programs in real-time. One of the potential effects of this, aside from Google's repeated quarterly revenue home runs, is a potentially overwhelming amount of statistical information associated with your various marketing programs. If you get lost in a sea of stats, and lose track of what is important, it is very easy to miss your targets, which in the b2b world is likely along the lines of pipeline, revenue, and profitability.
John's article certainly shares our mindset. While clickthrough rates, quality scores, and conversion rates are key metrics to track closely, if you live in the b2b world, be careful not to get so bogged down in the myriad of metrics that you lose sight of your original goals:
Driving new leads, pipeline, revenue, and profitability for your organization.
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The New and Improved Snippet
Nov 6, 2006Over the weekend, we released a new and improved version of Salesforce for Google AdWords javascript snippet. The new snippet is designed to handle an even wider array of javascript-heavy websites and custom web-to-lead forms (forms that post to custom code, before insterting a lead into Salesforce).
Check it out >> Instructions for installing the new snippet
For those of you who installed the Salesforce for Google AdWords snippet prior to November 6, never fear, your system will continue to function normally. However, we do recommend that you migrate the snippet on your site to the latest version. As we continue to add tracking functionality to the salesforce snippet (organic search, site visitor tracking, etc), the new snippet will automatically provide these added features.
You can recognize the new snippet with its reference to "sfga.js"
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New Advertiser Tutorial
Nov 4, 2006The New Advertiser Tutorial is designed for Salesforce customers new to the world or online advertising and Salesforce for Google AdWords. After viewing this webinar, you will be able to:
- Activate your new Google AdWords account
- Place ads on Google by creating a new search campaign
- Build effective landing pages to convert website visitors
- Track search effectiveness with reports and dashboards
Complete Series:
a) Introduction to Search Marketing
b) Salesforce for Google AdWords - New Advertiser Tutorial
c) Salesforce for Google AdWords - Existing Advertiser Tutorial -
Google AdWords Dreamforce Video
Oct 25, 2006
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Abstract: Salesforce for Google AdWords has turned search marketing into a cost-effective lead-gen machine, thanks to best practices gleaned from work with the leading vendors and practitioners. This SEM presentation from Dreamforce '06 focuses on the latest tricks for optimizing SEM performance, honing lead flow with the latest organic and paid search techniques, and measuring ROI from keyword to close.Presenters:
Julie Gibbs, salesforce.com
Adam Lewis, Google
Kraig Swensrud, salesforce.com
David Bergstrom, Yamaha -
Introduction to Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
Oct 12, 2006We're pleased to release the first installment of the Salesforce for Google AdWords webinar series. We hope that you find this information useful as you evaluate and understand the product capabilities.
Now posted! Separate presentations for beginning and advanced advertisers...enjoy!
Complete Series:
a) Introduction to Search Marketing -
Landing Pages and Paid Search
Sep 29, 2006Why should I create landing pages for my paid search program vs. just taking searchers to my home page?
Make it Relevant!
When searchers are dropped on a home page, odds are they will just leave, and continue searching. This is based on a lot of research out there, as well as personal experience. They clicked on your paid search ad, they arrive at your home page, and they are given too many options, so they just leave…I've seen this demonstrated on a number of occasions where clients experience a significant number of single page views – People came to the home page through paid search and left the home page – Possibly ending up on a competitor’s site.Furthermore, most searchers are in the information discovery mode. If they need to dig around your site to find valuable information about what they are searching on - Odds are they will leave...
You've Got 8 Seconds
Searchers need to be given very few choices in terms of direction, and must be taken somewhere that is correlated to their search terms and where they stand in the purchase cycle. Studies show that you have 8 seconds to grab the searchers attention, and once you get their attention, they must have a clear path to follow. The landing pages that are developed need to be tested/tuned to ensure that keywords/messaging/landing pages are performing up to the searchers expectations - The message is relevant. Here is a great example:
You Spent the Money, Get Their Contact Info
You just spent money to get them to your site – So, you should get their information, and be sure to give them something of value. Most solidly performing landing pages provide whitepapers or case studies – and these offers are correlated with search terms and estimated status of where the searchers stands in the purchase cycle. For example, if you were in the early stages of looking for a solution to sales compensation issues and you do a search on “Sales Compensation,” click on ad, and you are taken to landing page about sales compensation issues that provides you with an offer (white paper) to better understand those issues and a means to solve them…Wouldn’t you be more likely to provide your information vs. landing on some companies home page?This is important! Do not, and I repeat, *do not* make anyone register to receive a product brochure – This will turn off searchers immediately.
Google Quality Score
Your cost per click, impression rates and position are dependent on Google’s Quality Score of your campaigns – The more relevant the process (keyword ties into Google Ad ties into Landing Page), the higher the Quality score – Those who take people to the home page tend to have horrible quality scores, and thus higher costs and bad placement.Filter out the Garbage
The purpose of the Google Ad being tied into the landing page is to also act as a filter – It works to qualify and filter out a majority of the “garbage” that can potentially come in from search.Close the Loop
By closing the loop with a landing page/form/offer – you can then better correlate spend to actual results. You can better track keyword performance, messaging validity, and correlate leads to search spend. This allows for improved camping tuning and more intelligent management of the paid search budget.By just dropping off people at your home page, you are just throwing away money in hopes of getting someone (who you do not know who they are) to do something.
Below is another excellent example of a well-formed landing page…Highly correlated to search terms, a clear path to conversion and a high value offer:
by Kirk Crenshaw, Demandbase
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