How to Tell If Your Marketing Is Working
Marketing can feel busy without actually being effective. Posts are going out, ads are running, emails are being sent, but the big question remains: is any of it actually working?
The answer lies in understanding and tracking the right marketing performance metrics. When you know what to measure (and what to ignore), marketing becomes clearer, more confident, and far more profitable.
At TLH Marketing, we help businesses move beyond guesswork and focus on results. Here’s how to tell if your marketing is doing its job.
What Are Marketing Performance Metrics?
Marketing performance metrics are measurable data points that show how well your marketing activity is performing against your business goals.
They help you understand:
- What’s driving results
- What’s wasting time or budget
- Where to optimise and improve
Without clear metrics, marketing becomes opinion-led instead of data-led.
1. Start With the Right Goals (Not Vanity Metrics)
Before analysing performance, you need clarity on what success looks like.
Common Business Goals
- Lead generation
- Sales or enquiries
- Brand awareness
- Website traffic
- Customer retention
Why This Matters
If your goal is enquiries, follower growth alone doesn’t equal success. Metrics must match intent.
2. Website Metrics That Show Real Impact
Your website is often the centre of your marketing activity, so performance here is critical.
Key Website Marketing Performance Metrics
- Website traffic: Are more people finding you?
- Bounce rate: Are visitors leaving too quickly?
- Time on page: Are users engaging with content?
- Conversion rate: Are visitors taking action?
What Good Looks Like
Rising traffic paired with improving conversion rates—not one without the other.
3. Lead & Conversion Metrics That Matter
Marketing should drive action, not just attention.
Metrics to Track
- Form submissions
- Phone calls or enquiries
- Email sign-ups
- Downloads or bookings
Ask Yourself
- Are leads increasing month-on-month?
- Are leads relevant and qualified?
- Which channels generate the best enquiries?
More leads mean nothing if they’re the wrong ones.
4. Email Marketing Performance Metrics
Email remains one of the highest-performing marketing channels, when measured properly.
Key Metrics to Watch
- Open rate: Are subject lines working?
- Click-through rate (CTR): Is content engaging?
- Conversion rate: Are readers taking action?
- Unsubscribes: Is content missing the mark?
Consistency and relevance are often more important than volume.
5. Social Media Metrics That Actually Matter
Likes alone don’t define success.
Meaningful Social Marketing Performance Metrics
- Engagement rate (comments, shares, saves)
- Link clicks to website
- Reach vs engagement ratio
- Enquiries or conversions from social
What to Avoid
Obsessing over follower numbers without tracking impact on business goals.
6. SEO Metrics for Long-Term Growth
SEO doesn’t deliver overnight, but it should show steady progress.
SEO Performance Metrics
- Keyword ranking improvements
- Organic traffic growth
- Click-through rate from search
- Conversions from organic traffic
SEO success is measured in momentum, not instant wins.
7. ROI: The Ultimate Marketing Metric
At the end of the day, marketing must contribute to revenue.
Marketing ROI Metrics
- Cost vs revenue generated
- Customer acquisition cost (CAC)
- Lifetime value (LTV)
If you can’t see the connection between marketing and revenue, something needs reviewing.
8. Consistency Over Perfection
Marketing performance shouldn’t be reviewed once a year.
Best Practice
- Monthly reporting
- Quarterly strategy reviews
- Ongoing optimisation
Small improvements over time lead to significant growth.
Final Thoughts: If You’re Measuring the Right Things, You’ll Know
Knowing whether your marketing is working shouldn’t feel confusing or overwhelming. With the right marketing performance metrics, businesses gain clarity, confidence, and control over their growth.
At TLH Marketing, we help brands track what matters, interpret the data, and turn insights into action, so marketing becomes an investment, not a gamble.
If you’d like help with:
- Marketing performance reporting
- KPI tracking & dashboards
- Strategy reviews & optimisation
- ROI-driven marketing plans
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