How to measure marketing results

Points to check

• Define a useful enquiry or sale before reviewing channel reports. Count quality as well as volume.
• Record baseline traffic, leads and conversion points so changes have context.
• Review what the provider changed, what happened and what decision follows; avoid treating impressions as the final outcome.

Start with the brief

Write down the business outcome you need, the people you want to reach and any practical constraints. This makes it easier to judge whether a suggested service or platform is appropriate.

Choose measures tied to qualified enquiries or sales, and record the starting point.

Compare the work, not just the headline

Ask providers to describe the deliverables, who will do the work, what they need from you and when the result will be reviewed. A written proposal should distinguish included work from optional extras.

• Campaign structure and targeting
• Ad copy and landing-page advice
• Conversion tracking and regular optimisation

Questions worth asking

• Is ad spend separate from the management fee?
• Who owns the advertising account?
• Which conversions will be reported?

Agree how leads will be counted and how channel reports will be interpreted.

Make a fair comparison

Use the same brief for each provider, request any missing details in writing, and consider ownership and ongoing support alongside price. You can use the free worksheet to record the answers.