Methods & Reference Guide

Every tool on this workbench operates on transparent, client-side formulas. This reference documents the exact mathematical definitions, operational assumptions, and benchmark data sources used across the toolkit.

No proprietary black boxes. If you are presenting these numbers to a client or executive, you should know exactly how every decimal is derived.

[#] METHOD SPEC // 01: CLICK-THROUGH RATE & UNIT COSTS

1. Click-Through Rate (CTR) and Unit Cost Models

Applied in: CTR & Media Metrics Calculator

CTR (%) = (Clicks / Impressions) × 100
Clicks Needed = Impressions × (Target CTR / 100)
Impressions Needed = Clicks / (Target CTR / 100)
Cost Per Click (CPC) = Total Ad Spend / Total Clicks
Cost Per Mille (CPM) = (Total Ad Spend / Total Impressions) × 1,000

Core Assumptions & Edge Cases:

Impression Definition: Represents ad view opportunities rendered to users. Zero impressions will produce a validated null/warning state rather than a division by zero error.
Gross vs. Net Clicks: Ad platforms report raw ad clicks. When modeling downstream landing page sessions (e.g. in GA4), apply a standard 5% to 15% discrepancy factor to account for bounce rate, tracker blocking, and tag loading latency.
CPC/CPM Interdependence: $\text{CPM} = \text{CPC} \times \text{CTR} \times 10$. In auction environments, improving CTR directly reduces effective CPM for the same CPC.

Benchmark Reference Policy & Provenance:

Benchmark comparisons provided in the workbench are drawn from published aggregate performance reports (including WordStream / LocaliQ Cross-Industry Google Ads & Meta Benchmarks, 2023–2024 analysis period). Crucial operational caveat: Benchmarks are directional context only, never universal targets. Search query intent (brand vs. generic non-brand), creative format, geo-targeting, and conversion tracking accuracy skew observed CTR significantly.

[#] METHOD SPEC // 02: PPC CONVERSION RATE & ROAS REVERSE MODELING

2. Conversion Rate Required for Target ROAS

Applied in: PPC Conversion Rate Calculator

Total Revenue Target = Ad Spend × Target ROAS
Conversions Needed = Total Revenue Target / Average Order Value (AOV)
Total Clicks = Ad Spend / Estimated CPC
Required Conversion Rate (%) = (Conversions Needed / Total Clicks) × 100
Simplified: Required CVR (%) = (Target ROAS × CPC / AOV) × 100

Key Takeaway:

Notice that budget cancels out in the simplified relationship. The conversion rate needed to achieve a given ROAS depends entirely on the ratio of your CPC to your AOV multiplied by the ROAS target. The sensitivity table models how shifting CPC impacts feasibility.

[#] METHOD SPEC // 03: KEYWORD MATCH-TYPE WRAPPING & HYGIENE

3. Keyword Match-Type Formatting

Applied in: PPC Keyword Bulk Editor

Broad Match: keyword phrase (unwrapped)
Phrase Match: "keyword phrase" (wrapped in double quotes)
Exact Match: [keyword phrase] (wrapped in square brackets)

Hygiene Rules:

Deterministic Stripping: The tool automatically strips existing quotation marks (`"`, `”`, `“`) and square brackets (`[`, `]`) before wrapping to prevent accidental nested syntax (e.g. `["keyword"]`).
Whitespace Normalization: Strips leading/trailing whitespace per row and collapses multiple internal space characters.
Local Execution: Keyword processing occurs entirely in client memory; proprietary keyword sets never hit an external server.

[#] METHOD SPEC // 04: CAREER PAGE BIAS & GHOST JOB FILTERING

4. Direct Career Page Query Construction

Applied in: Marketing Job Search Builder

Query Syntax = Intent ("hiring") + Role ("Paid Search") + Location ("Remote")
Negative Filters: -site:indeed.com -site:ziprecruiter.com -site:linkedin.com ...
Career Bias: (inurl:careers OR inurl:jobs OR intitle:"careers at")

Operational Rationale:

Major job boards increasingly aggregate expired, scraped, or ghost listings that skew job-search efficiency. Constructing engine-agnostic queries with negative domain operators (`-site:`) and URL path filters surfaces authentic employer career portals directly.