Blog Post

If you’re running a goal-oriented campaign without KPIs, you’re basically flying blind—with a really nice strategy document in hand.

I’ve seen marketing teams launch campaigns that look polished, feel promising, and even drive solid engagement—only to realize weeks later that they have no idea if those numbers actually mean success.

That’s where KPIs come in.

In this post, I’ll walk through how I use KPIs to guide, track, and improve goal-based campaigns. This isn’t about dashboards for the sake of dashboards. It’s about data that helps you make decisions.

• What KPIs actually do in a goal-driven campaign
  
• How to match the right KPIs to the right goals
  
• The difference between helpful metrics and distracting ones
  
• Examples of KPI setups I use in real client work
  
• Mistakes to avoid when defining success
  

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are not just numbers you toss into a report to check a box. In goal-oriented marketing, they are the bridge between intention and outcome.

A clear KPI:

• Measures whether you’re hitting the campaign goal
  
• Tells your team where to adjust (or double down)
  
• Gives leadership a reason to say “yes” to more budget
  

Without KPIs, success is just a feeling. And you can’t scale feelings.

The most common mistake I see? Teams measuring everything—except what matters. Or worse, optimizing for the wrong metric entirely.

Here’s how I match KPIs to campaign goals:

Your KPIs should focus on:

• Cost per lead (CPL)
  
• Lead quality (MQL/SAL conversion rate)
  
• Form completion or landing page conversion rate
  
• Lead source performance
  

Why it matters: You’re not just after volume. You want affordable, qualified leads that turn into revenue.

Track:

• Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)
  
• Customer acquisition cost (CAC)
  
• Purchase conversion rate
  
• Average order value (AOV)
  

Why it matters: Revenue-related campaigns need to prove bottom-line impact. A beautiful ad with zero conversions is a creative win—and a business loss.

You’ll want to monitor:

• Impressions (by platform and placement)
  
• Reach (unique viewers)
  
• Video views or watch time
  
• Branded search lift
  

Why it matters: Awareness isn’t about volume—it’s about visibility with the right audience. Bonus points if you can connect top-of-funnel reach with mid-funnel behaviors.

KPIs might include:

• Repeat purchase rate
  
• Churn rate
  
• Customer lifetime value (CLTV)
  
• Engagement with loyalty content or offers
  

Why it matters: It’s more profitable to retain a customer than acquire a new one—but only if you can measure how well you’re doing it.

Every goal-based campaign I run follows this tracking setup:

1. Clarify the main campaign goal
   
2. Pick 1–3 primary KPIs that reflect goal progress
   
3. Set realistic benchmarks or targets
   
4. Choose 2–3 secondary metrics (for optimization)
   
5. Align tracking tools (Google Analytics, CRM, ad platforms)
   
6. Schedule reviews (weekly, mid-campaign, post-launch)
   

That’s it. Nothing bloated, nothing that gets ignored in meetings.

Client: Subscription-based SaaS
Campaign goal: Acquire 300 new trial signups in 30 days
Primary KPIs:

• Number of trial signups
  
• Cost per signup (target: <$20)
  Secondary metrics:
  
• Click-through rate on ads
  
• Bounce rate on signup page
  
• Trial-to-paid conversion rate (tracked later)
  

This setup helped us hit 327 signups in 28 days, with clear insight into what channels and messages pulled the most weight.

• Tracking too many metrics: Focus on a few KPIs that actually tie to your goal.
  
• Choosing vanity metrics: Impressions and likes don’t equal ROI—unless your goal is brand exposure (and even then, context matters).
  
• Not defining success upfront: If you can’t answer “what does success look like?” before launch, you’re guessing.
  
• Ignoring context: A good KPI in one campaign might be a terrible one in another.
  

Campaign goals are situational. Your KPIs should be too.

Goals give your campaign purpose. KPIs give it proof.

When you set the right KPIs early, everything else becomes easier—briefs, budget discussions, optimization, reporting. You’re no longer hoping for success. You’re tracking it.

Before launching your next campaign, ask:
“What exactly are we measuring, and why?”
If the answer is unclear, go back to the goal. Then choose KPIs that keep you on track.For more help turning business goals into campaign performance, check out my execution guide here.