15 Real marketing KPI examples every business should track

Most businesses know they should “track their marketing,” but few actually know what to measure. The result? Teams focus on vanity metrics such as likes or impressions without knowing if those numbers truly drive growth.

That’s where KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) come in. Unlike general metrics, KPIs are the critical numbers directly tied to your business goals.

What is the KPI marketing definition?

A KPI in marketing (Key Performance Indicator) is a measurable value that shows how effectively your marketing activities are helping you achieve business objectives.

For instance, while a marketing metric is “what you track,” a KPI is what really matters to your bottom line.

Example:

• Metric: Instagram post likes.

• KPI: Number of sales generated from Instagram ads.

KPI meaning in marketing

The meaning of KPI in marketing is about focus. Not every number you can track is important. KPIs cut through the noise and show if your marketing dollars are driving results.

If your company’s goal is to increase revenue, then the KPI isn’t just “getting more traffic” or “email opens”. It’s something like Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) or Return on Ad Spend (ROAS).

KPI marketing examples (with real business scenarios)

Here are 15 practical KPI marketing examples businesses can start tracking today:

1. Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)

What it means: How much you spend to acquire one new customer.

Example: A gym spends $1,000 on Facebook Ads and gains 50 new signups 

CAC = 1,000 / 50

CAC = $20.

2. Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)

What it means: Revenue earned for every $1 spent on ads.

Example: An e-commerce brand spends $5,000 on Google Ads and makes $15,000 in sales

ROAS = 3x.

3. Conversion Rate (Website or Campaign)

What it means: The % of visitors who take a desired action (buy, sign up, download).

Example: A pizza restaurant’s landing page has 1,000 visitors and 100 online orders. Conversion Rate = 10%.

4. Lead-to-Customer Rate

What it means: The % of leads that turn into paying customers.

Example: A B2B software company generates 200 leads; 20 convert, resulting in a 10% conversion rate.

5. Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs)

What it means: Leads that fit your ideal customer profile and show interest.

Example: People who download your whitepaper and visit your pricing page twice.

6. Customer Lifetime Value (LTV)

What it means: The projected revenue from one customer during the entire relationship.

Example: A coffee shop customer spends $5 per week for 3 years.

LTV = $780.

7. Email Open Rate

What it means: % of subscribers who open your email.

Example: A retail store sends a campaign to 10,000 people, with 2,500 opening it, resulting in a 25% open rate.

8. Email Click-Through Rate (CTR)

What it means: % of subscribers who clicked a link in your email.

Example: 2,500 people opened the email, 500 clicked → 20% CTR.

9. Organic Traffic Growth

What it means: An Increase in visitors coming from search engines.

Example: A local law firm’s blog grows monthly visitors from 1,000 to 2,500, which means a +150% growth.

10. Keyword Rankings

What it means: Position of your site for key search terms.

Example: Ranking #1 for “personal injury lawyer Chicago” would mean high-value traffic.

11. Content Marketing KPIs: Blog Conversion Rate

What it means: % of readers who take action (subscribe, book a call).

Example: 5,000 monthly readers, 250 subscribers means a 5% conversion rate.

12. Engagement Rate on Social Media

What it means: Interactions (likes, comments, shares) relative to audience size.

Example: A brand with 10,000 followers averages 800 interactions, which means an 8% engagement rate.

13. Reach vs Impressions

What it means: Reach = unique people who saw your content; Impressions = total views.

Example: A TikTok video reaches 20,000 unique people but has 35,000 views. It means people watched multiple times.

14. Cost per Lead (CPL)

What it means: The cost to generate a qualified lead.

Example: A SaaS startup spends $500 on LinkedIn Ads and gains 25 leads.

CPL = $20.

15. Net Promoter Score (NPS)

What it means: Measures customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Example: After buying, customers answer: “How likely are you to recommend us?” A score of 9–10 means promoters.

Key performance indicators for marketing managers

For marketing managers, KPIs should be about leading the team toward revenue-driven goals. Here are the most relevant:

• Campaign ROI → Did the campaign generate profit or loss?

• Pipeline Contribution → % of sales pipeline driven by marketing.

• Lead Quality Score → Are the leads marketing brings in actually converting?

• Team Productivity Metrics → Output (blogs, campaigns) tied to performance.

In other words, the KPI of a marketing manager isn’t “10,000 Instagram followers,” it’s how much those efforts contribute to sales, revenue, and brand growth.

Final words

KPIs are the bridge between creative marketing and business success. They show, in numbers, if your strategies are delivering ROI. While there are countless KPI marketing examples, the right ones for your business depend on your goals: brand awareness (see brand positioning examples), lead generation, or direct sales.

At Coctel Brand, we help businesses stop guessing and start measuring what matters. From content marketing KPIs to full-funnel performance dashboards, we give you the clarity to make smarter decisions and grow with confidence.

Ready to track the right KPIs and turn your marketing into measurable growth? Let’s talk.