Seasonal PPC Adjustments

Seasonality changes the meaning of PPC data. A campaign result is never only a campaign result.

It also belongs to a moment in time. A Halloween shirt that receives clicks in March is not telling the seller the same thing as a Halloween shirt that receives clicks in October.

A Father’s Day dog dad shirt that converts in late May does not prove the same thing in September. A teacher appreciation mug may behave differently before the end of the school year than it does during summer.

The PPC data may look similar on the dashboard: impressions, clicks, spend, orders, ACoS, CPC, and search terms. But the interpretation changes when the product depends on a buying window.

Seasonal data should be judged inside the season that gives it meaning. This does not mean seasonal products should be ignored outside their buying window.

They can still be prepared, published, organized, and reviewed before demand peaks. But the seller should be careful about drawing strong conclusions from off-season performance.

Weak off-season data may not prove the product is weak. Strong in-season data may not prove the product is evergreen.

Seasonality affects every trigger from the first section of this chapter. No impressions may mean the campaign is too early, not broken.

Impressions but no clicks may mean buyers are not ready yet, not that the design has no appeal. Clicks but no orders may mean the product is being tested outside the purchase window.

Orders may show real demand, but only for a limited period. Campaign concentration may be acceptable during peak demand if the campaign is intentionally built around that season.

Budget pressure may require different action before, during, and after the buying window. The seller should therefore read seasonal campaigns in stages.

A seasonal campaign usually moves through preparation, early testing, active demand, late-season protection, and off-season cleanup. Each stage has a different PPC goal.

Table 9.3. Seasonal PPC Adjustment States