Rizen Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to questions our clients may have when starting their marketing and advertising campaigns.

1. Why are the leads bad or contain fake information?

Lead quality can vary due to several factors:

1. Targeting Issues: If the ads are not correctly targeted, they might reach individuals who are not genuinely interested in your services. Proper targeting requires continuous adjustment and optimization based on campaign performance and data analysis.
2. Ad Copy: Unclear or misleading ad messages can attract uninterested or irrelevant leads. Ensuring that the ad copy clearly communicates the offer is crucial.
3. Data Accuracy: Sometimes, the contact information provided by leads can be inaccurate or intentionally false. This can happen due to typographical errors, automated bots, or individuals filling out forms with fake information to access gated content without real interest. Additionally, competitors might fill out forms to understand and validate your sales process.
4. Market Conditions: In competitive markets, leads may have already been contacted by multiple businesses, decreasing their interest in your offer. Staying ahead in such markets requires unique value propositions and timely follow-ups.
5. User Intent: Some users might fill out forms without serious intent to purchase, either out of curiosity or misunderstanding the offer. This can be mitigated by qualifying leads through additional questions or filters in the form.

To address these issues, we constantly monitor and optimize our campaigns. We analyze the data to refine targeting, improve ad copy, and enhance the overall user experience. Despite these efforts, some variability in lead quality is inevitable, but we strive to minimize it and provide the best possible results.

2. Why don't the leads answer when contacted?

There are several reasons why leads might not answer when contacted:

1. Timing: The timing of the contact attempt can significantly impact response rates. Leads contacted immediately after showing interest are more likely to respond.
2. Contact Method: The method used to contact leads (phone, email, text) might not align with their preferences. Some people prefer emails over phone calls, or vice versa.
3. Message Quality: The initial message may not be compelling or clear enough to prompt a response. Personalized and engaging messages usually perform better.
4. Overwhelmed Leads: In competitive markets, leads might be overwhelmed by multiple contacts from different businesses and choose not to respond.
5. Incorrect Information: Leads might have provided incorrect contact information, either by mistake or intentionally.
6. Changed Interest: Leads might have lost interest in your services or found an alternative solution before you reached out.

To improve response rates, we recommend immediate follow-up, using multiple contact methods, personalizing messages, and continuously refining the contact strategy based on feedback and results.

3. Why do I have to pay for bad or fake leads, and why can't I get a refund for them?

Paying for bad or fake leads can be frustrating, but here are some reasons why it happens and why refunds are typically not given:

1. Platform Payment Structures and Policies:
   • Google Ads: You pay per click (PPC), meaning you are charged each time someone clicks on your ad, regardless of the lead quality.
   • Meta Ads (Facebook/Instagram): You pay for impressions (CPM) or clicks (CPC), depending on your campaign setup. Like Google Ads, this means you pay based on interactions, not on lead quality.
2. Lead Verification and Patterns:
   • It is challenging to verify the quality of each lead immediately. While we strive to filter out bad or fake leads, some may still slip through due to the nature of online advertising.
   • Over time, we can identify patterns of bad leads through good lead management and assigning lost reasons in your sales pipeline. This allows us to recognize ads with poor performance and develop hypotheses related to content and design adjustments.

Despite these challenges, as mentioned in the questions about lead quality and response issues, we continuously monitor and optimize our campaigns to improve lead quality. Regularly reviewing and providing feedback on lead quality helps us make data-driven decisions to enhance overall campaign performance.

4. Why doesn't the campaign work immediately?

There are several reasons why a campaign might not produce immediate results:

1. Learning Phase: Both Google Ads and Meta Ads have a learning phase, during which the algorithms figure out the best way to deliver your ads. During this time, performance can fluctuate as the system optimizes for the best results.
2. Audience Targeting: Finding and refining the right audience takes time. Based on the data collected from early ad interactions, initial targeting settings might need adjustments.
3. Ad Quality and Relevance: High-quality, relevant ads are more likely to perform well. Gathering data and optimizing ad creative and messaging to ensure they resonate with the target audience takes time.
4. Competitive Landscape: In competitive markets, it might take longer to see results as your ads compete with many others for visibility and engagement.
5. Budget and Bidding: Your budget and bidding strategy play a crucial role. Smaller budgets or lower bids might result in slower data collection and optimization, delaying noticeable results.
6. Seasonality and Timing: Certain times of the year might affect how quickly campaigns perform. For instance, ads for pool services might perform better in the warmer months.

Campaigns typically improve over time as they collect more data, allowing for better optimization and targeting. Continuous monitoring and adjustments are crucial to achieving the best results.

5. Why can't we maintain the same good results of a campaign (cake recipe analogy)?

Maintaining consistent results in digital advertising can be challenging due to several factors, often compared to baking a cake where all ingredients must be perfectly balanced:

1. Changing Audience Behavior: Just as ingredients vary, audience behavior and preferences change over time. What worked well initially may not continue to be as effective as audience interests evolve.
2. Market Competition: Your ads may be affected by competitors' adjustments to strategies, launches of new campaigns, or increased budgets. 
3. Ad Fatigue: Audiences can get tired of seeing the same ads repeatedly, leading to decreased engagement. It's similar to using the same recipe too often, which can lead to a less exciting final product.
4. Platform Algorithm Changes: Google Ads and Meta regularly update their algorithms, which can affect ad delivery and performance. 
5. Budget Variations: Changes in your ad budget can impact performance. A reduced budget might slow down data collection and optimization, while a higher budget can increase competition within your own campaigns.
6. External Factors: Economic conditions, seasonal trends, and major events can all impact campaign performance. 

To maintain good results, it’s essential to continually monitor and adjust campaigns, refresh ad creative, and stay informed about market trends and platform updates. Regular analysis and optimization are key to adapting to these changes and sustaining performance.

6. Why can't I add a goal to each separate campaign?

Adding a goal to each separate campaign can be complex due to several reasons related to the structure and limitations of advertising platforms like Google Ads and Meta Ads:

1. Cross-Campaign Optimization: Setting goals at a broader level allows for cross-campaign optimization. This means the platform can allocate resources and budget more efficiently across multiple campaigns to achieve the overall goal.
2. Data Volume: Having goals at a higher level ensures there is enough data for the algorithms to optimize effectively. Smaller data sets from individual campaigns might not provide enough information for accurate optimization.
3. Consistency in Reporting: Uniform goals across campaigns provide consistent metrics and reporting, making it easier to analyze overall performance and make data-driven decisions.
4. Flexibility in Strategy: By setting broader goals, you can test different strategies within campaigns without constantly adjusting individual goals.

To effectively manage and track your goals, it’s important to define clear objectives at the account level and use campaign-specific metrics to measure performance. This way, you can still achieve granular insights while benefiting from the optimization capabilities of the platforms.

7. How does response time impact the chances of making a sale?

Response time significantly impacts the chances of converting a lead into a sale. Here are some key reasons why prompt responses are crucial:

1. Lead Interest: Leads are most interested immediately after they engage with your ad. A quick response ensures you capitalize on their initial interest before it wanes or they find an alternative solution.
2. Competitive Advantage: Being the first to respond in competitive markets can set you apart from competitors. Prompt responses show professionalism and eagerness, which can influence the lead's decision-making process.
3. Trust and Credibility: Rapid responses help build trust and credibility. When leads receive timely replies, they perceive your business as reliable and customer-focused, increasing their likelihood of choosing your service.
4. Customer Experience: A quick response improves the overall customer experience. Leads appreciate timely communication, which can enhance their satisfaction and increase the chances of conversion.
5. Reduction in Lead Decay: The longer it takes to respond, the higher the chance of lead decay. Leads might forget about their initial inquiry, lose interest, or go with a competitor if the response time is delayed.
6. Optimizing Conversion Rates: Studies have shown that contacting a lead within the first few minutes of their inquiry significantly increases the likelihood of conversion. Each minute of delay can reduce the chances of making a sale.

To optimize response time, consider implementing automated systems for immediate acknowledgments, training your team to prioritize new leads, and using CRM tools to track and manage response times effectively.

8. What should I expect before launching the first campaign?

Before launching your first campaign, it’s essential to set clear expectations and understand the steps involved. Here’s what you can expect:

1. Initial Consultation and Goal Setting: We will discuss your business goals, target audience, budget, and key performance indicators (KPIs) to define the campaign’s objectives.
2. Market and Competitor Analysis: We conduct thorough research on your industry, competitors, and market trends to identify opportunities and challenges.
3. Strategy Development: Based on the analysis, we develop a customized campaign strategy, including ad creative, targeting options, bidding strategies, and budget allocation.
4. Account and Campaign Setup: We set up your advertising accounts (if not already done), create campaign structures, and configure tracking and analytics tools to monitor performance.
5. Ad Creation and Approval: We design compelling ad creatives (images, videos, text) and submit them for your approval. This ensures that the ads align with your brand and messaging.
6. Launch Plan: We develop a detailed launch plan, outlining the timeline, key milestones, and initial rollout strategy. This includes setting up any necessary integrations and preparing for tracking and reporting.
7. Expectations for Initial Results: It’s important to understand that the initial phase is often a learning period. We’ll gather data, analyze performance, and make necessary adjustments to optimize the campaign.
8. Regular Updates and Reporting: We provide regular updates and detailed reports on campaign performance, including insights and recommendations for further improvements.

By setting clear expectations and following a structured approach, we aim to ensure a smooth launch and maximize the potential for campaign success.

9. What if the initial results are poor? How long until we see good results?

If the initial results of your campaign are not as expected, don't be discouraged. Here’s what you can expect and how we address this:

1. Learning Phase: The initial phase of any campaign is often a learning period. The advertising platforms need time to optimize ad delivery and find the best audience. During this time, performance may fluctuate.
2. Data Collection and Analysis: We will collect data on ad performance, audience interactions, and other key metrics. This data is crucial for understanding what is and isn't working.
3. Optimization Efforts: Based on the collected data, we will adjust targeting, ad creatives, bidding strategies, and other campaign elements as needed. This iterative process is essential for improving performance.
4. Feedback Loop: Your feedback on lead quality and other insights is invaluable. We incorporate this feedback into our optimization efforts to ensure we are aligning with your business goals.
5. Timeline for Improvement: While the timeline can vary depending on several factors, it generally takes a few weeks to a couple of months to see significant improvements. The first month is typically focused on data gathering and initial optimizations, with more substantial results often visible in the second and third months.
6. Regular Reporting and Updates: We provide regular updates and detailed reports on campaign performance, highlighting the changes made and their impact. This transparency ensures you are informed about the progress and can see the ongoing improvements.
7. Patience and Persistence: Digital advertising is a dynamic process that requires patience and persistence. Continuous monitoring, testing, and optimizing are key to achieving and maintaining good results.

By understanding the initial learning phase and committing to continuous optimization, you can expect to see improvements over time, leading to better performance and higher returns on your advertising investment.

10. How is the ad spend managed, including budget allocation for different platforms (Meta vs. Google Ads)?

Managing ad spend effectively is crucial for maximizing the return on your investment. Here’s how we manage ad spend and allocate budgets across different platforms like Meta (Facebook/Instagram) and Google Ads:

1. Initial Budget Setting: During the initial consultation, we discuss your overall budget and business goals. This helps us set a realistic ad spend that aligns with your objectives and market conditions.
2. Market Estimates: Before launching the campaign, we estimate potential results based on market analysis and our experience with other clients. This helps set realistic expectations and guides budget allocation.
3. Platform Allocation: We allocate the budget between Meta and Google Ads based on your target audience and campaign goals. Factors influencing this decision include audience behavior, platform strengths, and competitive analysis.
   • Meta (Facebook/Instagram): Ideal for visually-driven ads, targeting specific demographics, interests, and behaviors.
   • Google Ads: Effective for capturing high-intent searches, retargeting, and reaching a broad audience through display ads.
4. Bidding Strategies: We implement appropriate bidding strategies to ensure optimal use of the budget. This includes setting cost-per-click (CPC) or cost-per-impression (CPM) goals and adjusting bids based on performance data.
5. Monitoring and Adjustments: Continuous monitoring of ad performance allows us to make real-time adjustments to the budget allocation. If one platform is performing better, we may shift more budget towards it to maximize results.
6. Campaign Segmentation: We segment campaigns by objectives, audience, and ad formats. This allows for precise budget control and better performance tracking.
7. Performance Metrics: We track key performance indicators (KPIs) such as cost per lead (CPL), appointments, and cost per appointment (CPAppointments). These metrics help us understand the effectiveness of the campaigns and make informed budget adjustments.
8. Performance Tracking: Using advanced analytics and tracking tools, we measure KPIs such as click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates, and return on ad spend (ROAS). This data-driven approach helps in making informed budget adjustments.
9. Regular Reporting: We provide regular reports detailing how the ad spend is being utilized, performance metrics, and recommendations for optimizing the budget. Transparency is key to ensuring you understand how your investment is being managed.
10. Optimization: Based on performance data, we continuously optimize campaigns by reallocating budget, testing new ad creatives, adjusting targeting parameters, and refining bidding strategies to ensure maximum ROI.

By managing ad spend meticulously and being adaptable to performance insights, we aim to achieve the best possible results for your advertising investment.

11. What is the learning phase in a campaign and how long does it take to come out of it?

The learning phase is a critical period at the beginning of a campaign where the advertising platform (such as Google Ads or Meta Ads) gathers data to optimize ad delivery. Here’s what you need to know about the learning phase:

1. Purpose: During the learning phase, the platform’s algorithm tests different variables, such as audience segments, ad placements, and bidding strategies, to determine the most effective combinations. The goal is to optimize the campaign for better performance.
2. Duration: The length of the learning phase can vary, but it typically lasts from a few days to a few weeks. The exact duration depends on several factors, including:
   • Campaign Budget: Higher budgets allow for faster data collection, which can shorten the learning phase.
   • Ad Frequency: The frequency at which ads are shown and interacted with also influences the speed of learning.
   • Audience Size: Larger audiences can help gather data more quickly, speeding up the learning process.
3. Performance Fluctuations: It’s common to see performance fluctuations during the learning phase. The algorithm is experimenting with different settings, which can cause temporary dips or spikes in performance.
4. Exiting the Learning Phase: A campaign exits the learning phase once the platform has gathered enough data to make informed optimization decisions. This typically happens when the campaign reaches a stable level of performance and the algorithm has identified effective strategies.
5. Indicators of Completion: Signs that a campaign has exited the learning phase include:
   • Stable Performance Metrics: Metrics such as click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates, and cost per acquisition (CPA) become more consistent.
   • Reduced Fluctuations: Performance stabilizes, with fewer significant changes day-to-day.
6. Ongoing Optimization: Even after exiting the learning phase, continuous monitoring and optimization are essential. The platform will keep refining the campaign based on new data and changing market conditions.

Understanding and being patient during the learning phase is crucial for the long-term success of your campaign. It sets the foundation for achieving optimal performance as the campaign progresses.

12. What is the difference between a marketing campaign and a paid ads campaign, and how does a paid ads campaign look?

Understanding the difference between a marketing campaign and a paid ads campaign helps clarify how we achieve your advertising goals:

1. Marketing Campaign: This is a broad strategy that includes various activities such as content marketing, social media, email marketing, and events. Its goal is to build brand awareness and drive sales.
2. Paid Ads Campaign: This focuses on using paid advertising channels like Google Ads or Meta Ads to reach targeted audiences and achieve specific marketing goals, such as driving traffic, generating leads, or boosting sales.
3. Nomenclature in Ad Platforms: In advertising platforms like Google Ads or Meta Ads, the term "campaign" refers to a specific organizational level within your advertising account. This level can contain multiple ad groups or ad sets, each targeting different products or audiences. It’s important to understand that the term "campaign" here is a matter of nomenclature used by the platforms to structure and manage your ads effectively.
4. Single Campaign, Multiple Goals: We can promote multiple products within one campaign by having different ad groups or ad sets. This allows for efficient budget management and optimization across different targets within the same campaign framework.

By understanding this structure and nomenclature, you see how we manage and optimize your ads effectively within a single campaign framework to maximize your advertising budget and achieve your goals.

13. What are the key metrics you track to measure the success of a campaign?

To measure the success of a campaign, we track several key metrics that provide insights into performance and effectiveness. We organize these metrics into three main categories: ad quality, landing page quality, and overall funnel performance.

Metrics for Overall Funnel Performance:

1. Return on Ad Spend (ROAS): This measures the revenue generated for every dollar spent on advertising. A high ROAS indicates that your campaign is profitable.
2. Cost Per Lead (CPL): This metric shows the cost of generating a lead. It's important for evaluating the efficiency of your lead generation efforts.
3. Appointments and Cost Per Appointment (CPApointments): For service-based businesses, tracking the number of appointments scheduled and the cost to generate each appointment is crucial for assessing the effectiveness of the campaign.

Metrics Focused on Ad Quality:

1. Impressions: This metric indicates how often your ad is shown. While it doesn't directly measure engagement, it's useful for understanding the reach of your campaign.
2. Click-Through Rate (CTR): This measures the percentage of people who click on your ad after seeing it. A high CTR indicates that your ad is relevant and engaging to your audience.
3. Cost Per Click (CPC): This metric shows how much you pay each time someone clicks on your ad. It's crucial for managing your budget and ensuring you're getting good value for your ad spend.
4. Engagement Metrics: For social media ads, metrics like likes, shares, comments, and video views help gauge how well your content resonates with the audience.
5. Quality Score: Specific to Google Ads, this metric assesses the relevance and quality of your ads, keywords, and landing pages. A higher quality score can lead to lower CPCs and better ad placements.

Metrics Focused on Landing Page Quality:

1. Conversion Rate: This measures the percentage of visitors who complete a desired action, such as making a purchase or filling out a lead form, after clicking on your ad. A high conversion rate indicates that your landing page and overall offer are compelling.
2. Bounce Rate: This metric shows the percentage of visitors who leave your landing page without taking any action. A high bounce rate may indicate issues with the landing page content or user experience.
3. Average Session Duration: This measures the average time visitors spend on your landing page. Longer session durations suggest that visitors are engaged with your content.

By tracking these key metrics, we can make data-driven decisions to optimize your campaign, improve performance, and ensure you achieve your marketing goals.

14. How do you ensure transparency in your data and activities?

Transparency is a cornerstone of our services, and we take several steps to ensure that you have full visibility into your campaign’s performance and our activities:

1. Regular Reporting: We provide detailed reports on a regular basis, typically weekly or monthly, depending on your preference. These reports include key metrics, performance insights, and actionable recommendations.
2. Dashboard Access: We offer access to a real-time dashboard where you can monitor the performance of your campaigns at any time. This dashboard includes data on impressions, clicks, conversions, cost, and other relevant metrics.
3. Detailed Insights: Our reports and dashboards are designed to be comprehensive yet easy to understand. We break down complex data into clear, actionable insights, explaining what the numbers mean and how they impact your business.
4. Open Communication: We maintain open lines of communication with regular meetings, calls, or emails to discuss campaign performance, address any concerns, and answer your questions. This ensures you are always informed about the progress and direction of your campaigns.
5. Access to Ad Accounts: We provide you with access to your ad accounts, allowing you to see the campaigns, ad sets, and individual ads that are running. You can review the targeting, budgets, bids, and other settings.
6. Activity Logs: We keep logs of all significant activities related to your campaigns, including changes to targeting, ad creatives, bids, and budgets. This history is available for review to ensure accountability.

By maintaining transparency through these practices, we build trust and ensure you have the information needed to make informed decisions about your marketing strategy.