Perpetual Traffic: Why Your Marketing Tracking Sucks (Even If You Think It Doesn’t) and How to Fix It
Release Date: February 21, 2025
Hosts: Ralph Burns and Cameron Campbell
Producer: Tier 11
Introduction: Unveiling the Power of Accurate Data Tracking
The episode kicks off with Ralph Burns sharing a compelling success story of a lifestyle brand that partnered with Tier 11. By utilizing the Tier 11 Data Suite, the company achieved a 49.8% year-over-year revenue growth, hitting eight figures in top-line revenue for the first time and projecting $25 million by 2025. Ralph emphasizes the critical role of reducing unattributed traffic, stating:
“We reduced that unattributed traffic by 90%, uncovered $850,000 in hidden revenue, and scaled their ad spend by over 3x.”
[00:01] Ralph Burns
This sets the stage for a deep dive into the challenges and solutions related to marketing tracking accuracy.
Understanding Marketing Performance Indicators (MPIs)
Ralph introduces the concept of Marketing Performance Indicators (MPIs), explaining them as the metrics that drive business outcomes. He highlights the importance of aligning MPIs with business goals, such as revenue targets, customer acquisition, and lifetime value (LTV). Ralph poses a critical question to Cameron:
“Does that make sense? Does that resonate with you? And is that something that you have conversations with clients about?”
[10:25] Ralph Burns
Cameron confirms the significance of MPIs, noting the industry's traditional focus on in-platform metrics and the ongoing educational challenges clients face in understanding the full suite of MPIs.
The Limitations of Traditional Tracking: GA4 and CAPI
The conversation shifts to the shortcomings of conventional tracking tools like Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and Meta's Conversions API (CAPI). Ralph criticizes GA4 as a "crappy attribution tool" and explains how even with CAPI, a substantial portion of data remains unattributed due to browser and app blockers.
“If you're just using Google Analytics or if you're just using CAPI... the less your ability is to be able to hit the MPIs and ultimately achieve your goal as a business.”
[11:22] Ralph Burns
Cameron elaborates on the inefficiencies of CAPI, highlighting that while it improves data quality, it still relies heavily on matching hashed first-party data, leading to incomplete attribution and inaccurate reporting.
“You have to go into, you're just looking at what's wrong on your funnel when actually your acquisition might just be perfect.”
[14:24] Cameron Campbell
Introducing Tier 11 Data Suite: A Superior Solution
Ralph and Cameron present the Tier 11 Data Suite as a groundbreaking solution designed to offer more accurate and comprehensive tracking. The key differentiator is the Edge server integration, which captures user data before it’s blocked by browsers, ensuring first-party data is accurately collected and funneled into a dedicated data warehouse.
“We capture the data of your user when they enter the parking lot as opposed to when they walk through your front door.”
[31:29] Ralph Burns
Cameron explains how this system overlays CAPI with their own data capture methods, drastically reducing data loss and enhancing match rates.
“With Data Suite, it's nearly 100% accurate.”
[41:36] Ralph Burns
Practical Implications: Real-World Application and Benefits
The hosts demonstrate the practical benefits of using Tier 11 Data Suite through a live comparison between Meta Ads Manager and the Data Suite dashboard. They showcase significant discrepancies in Cost Per Acquisition (CPA), where the Data Suite provides a more realistic and lower CPA compared to Meta’s possibly inflated numbers due to modeled data.
“It's a 20% difference... These are decisions you have to be making. You're spending hundreds of thousands of dollars.”
[39:35] Ralph Burns
Cameron shares a case study illustrating how accurate MPIs enabled smarter budget allocations and better decision-making, emphasizing the tool's impact on scaling businesses without falling into the trap of misinterpreted data.
“So, you're making these decisions on real data as opposed to modeled data or data that you're not confident in.”
[43:19] Cameron Campbell
Navigating Client Mindsets: Shifting from ROAS to MER and NCAC
A significant portion of the episode addresses the challenge of shifting clients' focus from traditional metrics like Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) to more meaningful indicators such as Marketing Efficiency Ratio (MER) and New Customer Acquisition Cost (NCAC). Ralph cites a question from a listener about effectively making this transition.
“How can you effectively shift clients focus from ROAS to MER and NCAC, especially those who struggle to move away from a ROAS mindset.”
[49:42] John Moran's question
Cameron suggests using visual aids and real data comparisons to demonstrate the limitations of ROAS and the enhanced insights provided by MER and NCAC through the Data Suite.
“It's not that they are considering every variable, but they have to understand that the way the metrics are being presented now... really marketing blind.”
[51:23] Cameron Campbell
Audience Engagement: Q&A Highlights
In the Q&A segment, several key topics are addressed:
-
Creative Testing Strategies:
- Cameron advocates for quality over quantity, recommending that each creative should achieve three to five times the target CPA to be considered viable.
“Quality is better than quantity... as long as every creative in that budget could get three to five times a CPA.”
[53:44] Cameron Campbell -
Successful Business Traits:
- Scaling with detached teams: Larger businesses benefit from having dedicated marketing teams that are not emotionally tied to day-to-day fluctuations, allowing for more strategic scaling decisions.
“They have teams in place and they don't have the emotional connection... that allows them to grow bigger.”
[54:04] Cameron Campbell -
Integrating Paid and Organic Content:
- Separate strategies: Organic Instagram content should focus on brand building and engagement, while paid ads should target hard sales.
“I personally think they're completely separate... on the ads, that's where you hard sell.”
[58:18] Cameron Campbell -
Remarketing Campaigns on Meta:
- Addressing customer objections: Effective remarketing involves creating creatives that handle potential customers' objections and compare competitors to drive conversions.
“It's all about looking at that creative and going... do I have a full suite of stuff that is going to handle the problems that my customer has.”
[56:17] Cameron Campbell
Conclusion: Empowering Businesses with Accurate Data
The episode wraps up with Ralph and Cameron reiterating the indispensable value of accurate data tracking. By leveraging the Tier 11 Data Suite, businesses can move beyond unreliable in-platform metrics and make informed decisions that drive substantial growth. Ralph encourages listeners to engage with Tier 11’s resources and follow their ongoing discussions on YouTube and social channels for more insights.
“If you want to see these kinds of results for your business, reach out and let's make it happen over@tier11.com.”
[00:01] Ralph Burns
Key Takeaways:
- Accurate Tracking is Crucial: Traditional tools like GA4 and CAPI have limitations that can lead to significant data inaccuracies.
- Tier 11 Data Suite Offers Superior Accuracy: By capturing first-party data at the Edge server, Tier 11 ensures more reliable metrics.
- Align MPIs with Business Goals: Understanding and utilizing MPIs like MER and NCAC can transform marketing strategies.
- Educate and Shift Client Mindsets: Transitioning from ROAS to more comprehensive metrics requires clear communication and evidence-based approaches.
- Effective Creative and Campaign Strategies: Quality creative testing and strategic remarketing are essential for maximizing ad performance.
For businesses struggling with attribution and accurate tracking, this episode underscores the necessity of adopting advanced data solutions to unlock hidden revenue and scale effectively.
Quote Highlights:
“They reduced that unattributed traffic by 90%, uncovered $850,000 in hidden revenue, and scaled their ad spend by over 3x.”
[00:01] Ralph Burns
“With Data Suite, it's nearly 100% accurate.”
[41:36] Ralph Burns
“So, you're making these decisions on real data as opposed to modeled data or data that you're not confident in.”
[43:19] Cameron Campbell
“Quality is better than quantity... as long as every creative in that budget could get three to five times a CPA.”
[53:44] Cameron Campbell
“They have teams in place and they don't have the emotional connection... that allows them to grow bigger.”
[54:04] Cameron Campbell
For more insights and detailed strategies, subscribe to Perpetual Traffic and follow Tier 11 on YouTube and social media.