In online advertising, it is sometimes difficult to pinpoint the exact action that prompted a search and thus a conversion. There are many factors to consider such as the size of the ad and the media types that were used. One variable that is sometimes overlooked but is very important is recency, as James Colborn of Microsoft Advertising pointed out.

When was the last time your ad was viewed? Did a person react and convert on the spur of the moment or, did he see an ad several minutes ago and then see something else that triggered him to take action?

As Colborn tells special guest WPN correspondent Jeff Ferguson, marketers must factor all these variables into their decisions. They also need to consider topical aspects, seasonal aspects, and appropriate aspects.

The list of variables could go on and on, but marketers need to remember that there is no exact formula or process in determining the conversion point. There is however, one constant in every campaign and that is continuous testing.