Amid the release of Google’s optimization score (OptiScore), Google shared statistics with the industry on how effective and useful OptiScore is for digital advertisers. Fluency confirmed Google’s OptiScore findings in an independent, third-party study. (Get the study here!)
Fluency unearthed a lot of information, like the fact that accounts that increased their OptiScore by at least 10 points were able to decrease their cost per conversion by a median of 12%.
What does this all mean for digital advertisers using OptiScore? Let’s ask the experts.
We sat down with Fluency CEO Mike Lane, Chief Revenue Officer Brian McVey, and Business Development Director Clinton Scott to talk about all things OptiScore.
What motivated the OptiScore study?
“We were the first ad platform on the planet to integrate with the recommendations engine in Google’s API. Before anyone else learned how to apply Google recommendations at scale, we were at the forefront. OptiScore is not a universally accepted indicator of success in the search world,” says Brian McVey. “We saw a unique opportunity to fact check.”
“Part of what motivated the study is being able to better service our clients and understand which recommendations we should put in the forefront, which are the most actionable, and which we can look at automating further,” Clinton Scott adds.
“Google was running around saying OptiScore is the most important thing, and if you look out and talk to folks, there are varying opinions on its efficacy,” says Mike Lane. “We had the ability to record and analyze everything and answer the question. The data says it is something you should be doing.”
There were a lot of great findings from the study. If you were to boil it down to one takeaway, what would that be?
“Google recommendations should be a part of a larger strategy.” - Clinton Scott
“If you could improve your conversions by 10% without ever having to lay a hand on the keyboard, wouldn’t you want to do that? Fluency makes that possible at an unlimited scale.” - Brian McVey
“You don’t need to do everything. You need to do something. Just focus on engaging with OptiScore and moving your score up 10 points. Just make it better so you can see improved results. There are simple ways to achieve that, especially if you’re a Fluency customer.” - Mike Lane
Were there any industries that didn’t benefit from increasing their OptiScore?
“We saw across the board there was benefit in all industries.” - Mike Lane
Were there any surprises from the study?
“In general, the data says that the more you engage with Google’s recommendations and tools, including OptiScore, the better the performance seems to be. There are a lot of things Google says to do that are in Google’s best interests, but the study validated Google’s statements on conversions and OptiScore.” - Mike Lane
What are you going to do with the OptiScore data going forward and are you planning any additional studies?
“For Fluency clients, we break down the data and look at their specific performance against industry benchmarks. For everyone else, we will continue to monitor our OptiScore data over time to find the sweet spot for improved performance without diminishing returns.” - Mike Lane
Check out Fluency’s OptiScore study for yourself, and stay tuned to Fluency’s blog as we continue to dive deep with the experts on all things automation and digital marketing.
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