Step 4

Measure What Matters

Know what metrics you need to track to measure the success of your marketing activities. Choose the right tools to help you track them.

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What is

marketing’s ROI?

That dreaded question keeping marketers up at night! With more tools and data available than ever before, you'd think this would be getting easier. Yet, most marketing teams still struggle to connect their activities to revenue impact.

LAck of Data isn’t the problem; Dashboard marketing is.

Most of us are swimming in data - HubSpot, Salesforce, GA4, social analytics…the list goes on. The real issue isn’t the lack of data; it’s what doesn’t show up on our dashboards. Attribution marketing has misled us into thinking that if something isn’t captured by a UTM or click ID, it didn’t contribute to the outcome. As a result, marketing teams frequently:

Over-index on the first or last touch and assume buying journeys are linear

Fixate on short-term, vanity metrics, neglecting broader brand-building efforts

Miss critical touchpoints that never appear in analytics

Invest in tools before they even know what they’re supposed to measure

Like we discussed in Step 3, B2B buying journeys can span dozens of touchpoints - webinars, peer conversations, brand recall from an LinkedIn post months ago. And some of these may never appear on your neat little dashboard. By chasing only the immediate, trackable conversions, we undervalue (and underfund) the marketing activities that truly move the needle over the long term.

In this step, we'll help you build a measurement system that actually drives decisions and gives marketing a solid seat at the table. We’ll cover:

Metrics That Matter

Identify which metrics you should be tracking and why

Dive in

Building Your Tech Stack

Know which tools you need to track these metrics

Dive in

Report Creation

Understand how you can unify your data and drive decisions

Dive in

part 1 Metrics That Matter

What Metrics Actually Matter?

Too many marketers obsess over the exact moment a sale was made, and completely ignore the long chain of influences which put that buyer on the radar in the first place. Our job is to influence both the 5% who are in-market to buy and the 95% who’ll become tomorrow’s pipeline.

As such, when we talk about “marketing owning revenue,” we need to account for - and measure - both short-term wins and long-term impact. If you’re not measuring the latter, you’ll underinvest in it, and wonder why revenue stalls next quarter or next year.

Tracking only quick wins and immediate conversions leaves critical questions unanswered:

Is our target audience aware of our brand?

How do they perceive our value & credibility?

How do we stack up against competitors?

Which brand content formats should we prioritize?

That’s why you need to measure both near-term performance and long-term brand impact. Because if it’s not getting measured, it’s not getting done. Below, we’ve shared two sets of metrics you should be actively tracking.

Performance Metrics

These metrics directly connect to revenue, pipeline health, and cost efficiency. They’re used to assess short-to-medium term marketing ROI.

Audience Quality

Instead of raw traffic numbers, measure:

Traffic from target accounts/segments/ demographics

Time spent on key product/pricing pages

Return visitor rate for high-intent content

Learn more

How to Track:

Use IP-tracking or firmographic enrichment (e.g., Clearbit) to identify target accounts
Set up custom segments/funnels in GA4 or your marketing automation tool

Why it Matters: High traffic is useless if you’re not reaching the right people. Audience quality ensures your content resonates with those most likely to buy.

Content Performance

Beyond page views, track:

Conversion contribution per content piece

Content engagement by buyer’s awareness stage

Asset influence on pipeline

Learn more

How to Track:

Enable content grouping and goal completions in GA4
Tag content in your automation tools/CRM to see which materials influenced deals

Why it Matters: Knowing which pieces drive pipeline or help close deals ensures you invest in content that actually moves buyers forward.

Channel Effectiveness

Rather than just activity metrics, measure:

Customer acquisition by channel

Channel influence on pipeline (multi-touch)

Cost per lead + opportunity (CPL, CPO) by channel

Learn more

How to Track:

Configure UTMs accurately for different channels and link to your CRM or analytics tool
Use multi-touch attribution models (e.g., W-shaped) in your BI tool

Why it Matters: Helps you identify where your highest-quality leads (and best ROI) come from, so you know where to double down or pull back.

Lead Quality

Instead of lead volume alone, focus on:

Lead-to-opportunity conversion rate

Sales acceptance rate (SAL/SAO)

Average sales cycle length by lead source

Learn more

How to Track:

Standardize lead stages (MQL, SQL, Opp) in your CRM
Track time-in-stage metrics with CRM reporting

Why it Matters: High lead volume means nothing if they never convert. Lead quality signals whether marketing efforts are targeting real prospects.

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Pipeline Metrics

Marketing-sourced / influence pipeline

Pipeline velocity (time from lead to closed deal)

Deal size by source/channel

Learn more

How to Track:

Attribute opportunities to campaigns in your CRM
Track “Stage Duration” to measure pipeline velocity

Why it Matters: Demonstrates how quickly marketing is converting prospects into revenue and whether deals sourced by marketing are actually worthwhile.

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Cost Metrics

Customer acquisition cost (CAC)

Cost per qualified opportunity (CPOQ)

CAC payback period

Learn more

How to Track:

Combine marketing + sales expenses / new customers or opportunities
Use financial reporting tools (Excel, BI platforms) integrated with CRM data

Why it Matters: Ties marketing spend directly to revenue outcomes, helping you optimize budgets and defend ROI in the boardroom.

Revenue Metrics

Marketing-sourced / influenced revenue

Customer lifetime value (LTV)

Churn and retention rates

Learn more

How to Track:

Link closed-won deals in your CRM back to marketing campaigns or lead sources
Monitor renewals/churn via subscription management platforms

Why it Matters: Reveals the direct financial impact of marketing, both in terms of initial sales and long-term customer value.

Brand Metrics

Brand Metrics measure how well your audience knows, trusts, and values your brand - key indicators of long-term market position and future pipeline health.

Brand Awareness & Visibility

Branded search traffic (people searching for your brand name)

Direct website traffic (typed-in visits)

Share of voice (mentions vs. competitors in media/social)

Learn more

How to Track:

Check Google Search Console for branded keywords
Monitor direct traffic in GA4 (break out referral vs. direct)
Use social listening or PR tools for competitive SOV

Why it Matters: Strong brand awareness drives down acquisition costs over time and keeps you top-of-mind with future buyers.

Brand Engagement & Sentiment

Social engagement (likes, shares, comments, follower growth)

NPS (Net Promoter Score) and third-party reviews (G2, Trustpilot)

Referral traffic from brand mentions

Learn more

How to Track:

Use platform-native analytics or tools like Buffer, Sprout Social
Run regular NPS surveys
Tag referral sources in GA4 to see inbound traffic from reviews or media

Why it Matters: Engagement and positive sentiment point to a healthy, trusted brand - leading to higher deal velocity and lower churn.

Brand Influence on Efficiency

Branded CAC vs. non-branded CAC

Sales cycle compression for brand-aware leads

Customer advocacy/
word-of-mouth–driven deals

Learn more

How to Track:

Compare inbound leads who already know your brand vs. those who discover you via ads
Monitor deal cycle length among prospects who engaged with brand content early
Ask new customers “How did you hear about us?” in forms or post-sale surveys

Why it Matters: Shows how strong brand equity lowers CAC, accelerates deals, and spins organic referrals.

Simplified purple pencil icon with a white tip and dark outline.

If you want to measure brand strength, Kyle Lacy shares a framework for building a ‘Brand Score’ in his Guide to Measuring and Communicating Brand Impact.

Access Guide

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Kyle lacy

Prioritizing Your Metrics

While all these metrics have value, just because you can measure them doesn’t mean you should. Prioritise measuring that you can ACT on. Pick metrics that:

Drive Decisions

Choose metrics that help you make specific choices about where to invest time and budget. For a startup, you might start with CPC/CPL for quick wins. As you mature, CAC payback and brand awareness will become more critical.

Show Progress

Select metrics that demonstrate your movement toward both short- and long-term goals.E.g., If you’re learning from campaigns, CAC/CPL should come down as brand awareness grows, and sales acceptance (SAO) goes up.

Indicate Problems Early

Look at both sets of metrics to spot issues before they impact revenue. A surge in traffic (Performance) but flat brand mentions may mean you’re ignoring brand narrative; or a great brand mention in a top publication that drives zero pipeline might mean your funnel has leaks.

Scale With You

Pick metrics that will remain relevant as your business grows. Metrics like CAC payback, LTV, and brand awareness grow more critical as you scale. A robust brand should steadily reduce CAC and churn, giving you greater marketing ROI.

Remember: No set of metrics or attribution models will ever capture 100% of the buyer journey. Use them as guidance to improve marketing decisions, not as a hard verdict. By combining both Performance and Brand Metrics, you’re far more likely to show (and grow) marketing’s total impact.

part 2 Build Your Tech Stack

WHAT TOOLS DO I NEED TO TRACK THESE METRICS?

Now that you know which metrics matter, the question becomes: how do you actually track them? This is where many teams make a crucial mistake - rushing to buy tools before knowing what they actually need these tools for.

Buying tools before defining your metrics is a recipe for “tech sprawl.” Instead, think of your stack in layers, adding complexity as you grow. Below, we’ll outline a DIY approach for three common company stages - Early, Growth, and Scale - along with questions to help you pick the right tools.

EARLY STAGE (Up to ~$1M ARR)

What You’re Trying to Do & Why the Tech Stack Matters

Find product-market fit and generate initial demand without overspending.

You need enough tooling to capture leads, track basic marketing performance, and create simple content - but not so much that it overwhelms your small team.

If you rely on outbound to kickstart growth, prospecting tools become crucial.

Prospecting & Sourcing Layer

Purpose: Identify potential leads, enrich contact data, and reach out directly.

Tools

Core CRM & Website Analytics Layer

Purpose: Track visitors, conversions, and organize leads/deals.

Tool choices

Social Media Management Layer

Purpose: Schedule posts, track basic engagement.

Tool Choices

Email Marketing & Distribution Layer

Purpose: Send newsletters, drip campaigns, measure open/click rates.

Tool Choices

Content Creation Layer

Purpose: Produce blogs, social posts, or short videos.

Tool Choices

Black square filled with a dense grid of small, evenly spaced white dots.

Key Questions to Ask

Budget & Resources:

Can we afford this tool now? Do we have the bandwidth to learn it?

Integration:

Does the CRM connect well with our email and analytics?

Budget & Resources:

How quickly can we get set up? Is the tool overly complex for our small team?

Content:

Do we have someone producing blogs/social updates regularly - or are we too stretched?

GROWTH STAGE ($1M–$10M ARR)