Google Ads Results vs Vanity Metrics | Up The Hill Digital
Vanity Metrics vs Real Results in Google Ads: What Really Matters
If you’ve ever run Google Ads or worked with a marketing agency, you’ve probably heard things like:
"Your impressions are up!"
"Look at all that traffic!"
Sounds good, right? But here’s the truth: not all numbers are created equal. In digital advertising, especially on Google, it’s easy to get distracted by “vanity metrics” — stats that look good but don’t actually drive profit.
What Are Vanity Metrics?
Vanity metrics might look impressive, but they don’t guarantee actual business success. These include:
Impressions (how often your ad is shown)
Clicks (but with no conversion!)
Click-Through Rate (CTR)
Page views or general traffic
They’re useful for insight, but they don’t tell you what you’re earning.
What Actually Matters: Real Google Ads Metrics
These are the metrics that reflect business growth and return on your investment:
Cost Per Lead (CPL)
Conversion Rate
Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)
Cost Per Acquisition (CPA)
Lead Quality
If these aren’t being reported on — you’re flying blind.
Real Example
Let’s say you get 10,000 clicks but zero bookings. That’s noise.
Now compare that to 150 targeted clicks that bring in 12 paying clients — that’s performance.
Clicks don’t equal clients. Quality trumps quantity.
What a Real Google Ads Agency Does
Tracks conversions, not just traffic
Optimises CPL and ROAS
Builds landing pages that convert
Reports on ROI, not just reach
If you're working with a Google Ads agency in Australia, this should be the bare minimum.
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