Re:Google Claims That Google Checkout Increases Conversion B...
by gojomo on Wednesday January 07, 2009 @01:48AM
(#423109)
Google's actual claim:
Google Checkout users click on ads 10% more when the ad displays the Checkout badge and convert 40% more than shoppers who have not used Checkout in the past.
This strictly describes Checkout users' behaviors. It says almost nothing about the net effect of adding Checkout to your ads or site.
For example, the claim that Checkout users "convert 40% more than shoppers who have not used Checkout in the past" is even compatible with the theory that Checkout deters conversions among other users -- leaving the Checkout users' conversions "40% more" only by comparison with a depressed base.
Yet the article headline and opening paragraph change the interpretation to a much stronger claim. Google marketing may be banking on others' sloppy reading comprehension.
(Perhaps Checkout does help, but their marketing material has enough weaselly wording that I have doubts.)
Google Checkout users click on ads 10% more when the ad displays the Checkout badge and convert 40% more than shoppers who have not used Checkout in the past.
This strictly describes Checkout users' behaviors. It says almost nothing about the net effect of adding Checkout to your ads or site.
For example, the claim that Checkout users "convert 40% more than shoppers who have not used Checkout in the past" is even compatible with the theory that Checkout deters conversions among other users -- leaving the Checkout users' conversions "40% more" only by comparison with a depressed base.
Yet the article headline and opening paragraph change the interpretation to a much stronger claim. Google marketing may be banking on others' sloppy reading comprehension.
(Perhaps Checkout does help, but their marketing material has enough weaselly wording that I have doubts.)