How do you assess the impact of ads on conversion rate?

• A. Rely solely on click-through rate
• B. Compare conversion rate before and after campaigns, analyze incremental lift, and link changes to ad exposure and spend
• C. Ignore attribution data and estimate roughly
• D. Look only at impressions counts

Answer: (B)

Measuring the impact of ads on conversions hinges on quantifying how conversion rate changes in relation to ad exposure and spend, and doing so in a way that separates the ad’s effect from other factors. The best approach is to compare conversion rates before and after campaigns, calculate incremental lift, and tie those changes to actual ad exposure and the amount spent. This captures the real business effect: are the ads driving more people to convert than would have happened otherwise, and how does that relate to the investment?

Relying on click-through rate alone only tells you how enticing the ad is, not whether it leads to actions. Ignoring attribution data and estimating roughly misses the actual path from impression or click to conversion, so you can’t confidently claim which ads or spend are responsible. Looking at impressions counts alone also misses whether those impressions converted, wasted spend, or undervalued campaigns.