What is a marketing KPI? A KPI (key performance indicator) is a measurable value that shows how well your marketing is achieving a goal. Good KPIs track outcomes that map to revenue — leads, calls, bookings and cost per lead — rather than vanity metrics like raw impressions or follower counts.
What makes a good marketing KPI?
It’s tied to a real business goal, measurable, and something you can act on. ‘Booked calls per month’ or ‘cost per qualified lead’ guide decisions; ‘total impressions’ usually doesn’t.
Which KPIs matter for a local business?
- Leads and booked calls
- Cost per lead / cost per acquisition
- Conversion rate
- Google Business Profile calls and direction requests
- Return on ad spend (for paid campaigns)
What are vanity metrics?
Numbers that look impressive but don’t map to revenue — raw pageviews, impressions, likes or follower counts. They’re not useless, but they shouldn’t be your primary KPIs.
How many KPIs should I track?
A focused few. Tracking everything spreads your attention thin; pick the handful that reflect real business outcomes and review them regularly.