Strategic Decision-Making in Destination URLs: How It Impacts the Performance of Your Advertising Campaigns

The destination of an advertisement is an element that often goes unnoticed but has a significant impact on the performance of advertising campaigns. What happens when you change the destination URL or decide to send users to a different page? The answer depends on several factors, such as the relevance of the new page’s content, loading speed, mobile usability, and how well it aligns with the expectations created by the ad.

Changing an ad’s destination can profoundly affect conversion rates and user behaviour. Every time the landing page is modified, it impacts the user experience. For example, if the new page takes longer to load or is not mobile-friendly, users may leave before completing the desired action. If the new page does not align with the expectations set by the ad, performance may drop significantly. For instance, if the ad promises a specific offer and the landing page doesn’t clearly display it, users may feel frustrated and abandon the site. Consistency between the ad’s message and the landing page experience is crucial to maximising performance.

The new page must be optimised and aligned with the specific goals of the campaign. For example, if the focus is on lead generation, the landing page should facilitate conversion with simple forms, clear CTAs, and a seamless mobile experience. Additionally, technical aspects such as loading speed and proper structure for Google’s ad rank remain fundamental.

Another important point is that when you change an ad’s destination, advertising platforms often need time to readjust. The algorithm may need to recalibrate conversion patterns, which can temporarily affect performance. If the new page serves a similar purpose to the old one, this impact can be minimised. However, if it differs significantly, there might be a learning phase that negatively affects results for a period.

Such changes can also influence how users perceive the brand’s credibility. Each transition between ads and pages involves a fraction of a second in which the user evaluates whether the presented content remains relevant and whether it meets the expectation created. Maintaining the initial expectation can make the difference between a wasted click and a conversion.

This is why I always recommend approaching ad destination changes as a strategic decision. It is essential to analyse factors such as user intent, the technical aspects of the page (loading time, structure, metadata, keywords, mobile version), and historical performance data of the old page before making decisions. Before changing the URL, ensure that the new destination is optimised for the objective and enhances the user experience. If it does, it could lead to a considerable performance improvement. But if it’s just a change without a clear improvement in experience, it may harm the campaign’s efficiency without a valid reason.

What has been your experience when changing the destination URL in major campaigns? Has it affected your campaign performance? Let me know in the comments.

How to Choose the Right Attribution Model 🧩

Selecting the appropriate model depends on the expected user behaviour and the type of action you want to measure.

For instance, if your focus is on engagement conversions or quick interactions on your website, the 1-day click, 0-day view attribution will be your best choice. This model allows you to capture only the most interested users, those who take immediate action after seeing your ad, avoiding artificially inflating the results.

On the other hand, if you are looking for non-commercial leads such as newsletter subscriptions or free content downloads, even for post-sale support, a 1-day click, 1-day view model would be more suitable. This model accounts for both direct interactions and views that, although they don’t result in immediate clicks, generate short-term interest and eventually convert.

Attribution models with short windows allow you to accurately measure the real value that engagement actions bring to your website. If we used broader attribution windows, the results could be inflated, and campaigns could lose weight in real conversions, especially if you are using multiple paid media channels and various campaigns with different objectives.

For most sales or commercial lead campaigns, the 7-day click, 1-day view attribution model is the standard. This model offers a broad window to measure the immediate impact of your ads without losing sight of those users who need a few days to convert after the initial click.

In the context of high-value products or B2B conversions that can take up to a month, the 30-day click, 1-day view model would be the most appropriate. This model is ideal for capturing considered purchase decisions that may require approval from multiple parties.

On the other hand, the 30-day click, 30-day view model is suitable for complex B2B purchase events and high-consideration products/services, regardless of whether the goal is sales or commercial leads.

Remember that you can adjust the attribution model afterwards if you find that user behaviour is not as expected.

What attribution model do you usually use in your campaigns? Have you considered adjusting your strategy based on these models? I look forward to reading your comments.

How to exclude bad quality leads in Paid Media?

The quality of leads is as important as the quantity, and in some cases, even more so. Attracting poor-quality leads wastes your budget and impacts the overall performance of your campaign. Today, I'm sharing the process I usually follow to improve lead quality:

1. Profile of a Poor-Quality Lead

First, we need to identify what characterises a poor-quality lead. Is it the price? The search intent? The expectations versus what the advert offers? The location? The age? The conversion action? Clearly defining the profile of these leads and what makes them different from good-quality leads is essential in order to take action.

2. Strategies Based on the Profile

With a defined profile, we can implement specific tactics. Some of these include:

Negative Keyword Targeting: Exclude keywords that may be attracting unwanted leads.

Bid and Location Adjustments: Lower bids or exclude locations that generate low-quality leads.

Clear Copy and Creatives: Use clear messages in your ads to set correct expectations and filter out unsuitable leads.

Differentiated Landing Pages: Creating specific landing pages for different audiences can improve lead quality.

Audience Exclusion and Demographic Adjustment: Pause or exclude certain audiences and adjust the demographic criteria of the campaign.

Form-Level Disqualification: Include 1 or 2 mandatory disqualifying questions in your form to filter out poor-quality leads.

3. Continuous Optimisation

The process doesn’t end with implementing some of these strategies. It's important to constantly monitor and adjust the campaigns.

Clearly defining the profile of poor-quality leads and applying specific strategies to exclude them can turn around your paid media campaigns.