Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are essential for measuring digital marketing performance. They help marketers track results, adjust strategies, and improve campaign outcomes.
As marketing expert Aleksandar Nikolski puts it, “These KPIs are more than just numbers; they’re a realistic reflection of your marketing performance, providing you with the insights needed to fine-tune your strategies and maximize your return on investment.”
Take bounce rate, for example. The average across industries is around 44% (Oberlo). If users leave your site without interacting, it may point to issues with content relevance or user experience. Monitoring and lowering bounce rates can lead to stronger engagement, better retention, and more conversions.
And this is where landing pages come in.
Landing pages are often the first impression of your brand—and one of the most important. Whether you’re running a paid ad campaign, promoting a product, or capturing leads, your landing page is the place where conversions happen. Tracking the right KPIs—like conversion rate, bounce rate, and form completion rate—can show you exactly how well your landing page is performing.
In this guide, we’ll break down the most important KPIs in digital marketing, explain how to track them, and show you how to use them to optimize landing pages that actually convert. If you want smarter campaigns and higher ROI, it all starts with tracking the right metrics.
What is KPI (Key Performance Indicator) in Digital Marketing?
A Key Performance Indicator (KPI) in digital marketing is a measurable value that shows how well a campaign meets its main objectives. KPIs help determine whether you’re reaching goals like brand awareness, lead generation, or customer acquisition.
Tracking metrics like website traffic, conversion rates, or return on ad spend helps evaluate marketing performance.
Top digital marketing KPIs include conversion rate, customer acquisition cost (CAC), return on investment (ROI), customer lifetime value (CLV), and traffic sources. These KPIs reveal how effective your campaigns are and highlight areas for growth.
Why is KPI Tracking Important in Internet Marketing?
KPI tracking is important in Internet marketing because it helps marketers monitor performance in real time, adjust strategies based on data, and prove return on investment (ROI).
Tracking metrics shows what works and what needs improvement. For instance, if conversion rates are low, you can adjust landing pages, ads, or target audiences to boost results.
For example, if your goal is to increase newsletter subscriptions but you’re only seeing a rise in website visits, the metric doesn’t reflect true progress. Without more sign-ups, the goal isn’t achieved. As Marissa Sagepa from CareerFoundry said, “If no one is converting, you’re not actually achieving anything.”
Without KPIs, marketers rely on guesses rather than data. This can waste budget and limit growth opportunities.
How to Track KPIs in Digital Marketing?
To track KPIs in digital marketing, use tools like Google Analytics, social media insights, email platforms, and CRM systems. These tools provide real-time data on metrics such as traffic, engagement, conversions, and revenue.
Use the SMART framework to set realistic, aligned goals. For example, aim to increase website traffic by 15% in the next quarter through SEO and content marketing.
Google Analytics tracks bounce rate, session duration, and conversions. Social media platforms offer analytics for engagement and follower growth. Email tools like Mailchimp and HubSpot track open and click-through rates. CRM systems like Salesforce monitor leads and customer retention. Landingi’s EventTracker gives detailed insights into user actions on landing pages.
Start by defining your campaign goals—lead generation, brand awareness, or sales. Then, choose KPIs that match your goals and set up tracking. This might include configuring Google Analytics goals, adding UTM parameters to URLs, or setting event tracking for clicks or downloads.
For paid ads, use Google Ads or Meta Ads Manager to track metrics like cost per click (CPC), return on ad spend (ROAS), and conversions.
Monitor your KPIs regularly. Most tools let you create dashboards or automated reports for quick updates. Ongoing tracking helps you adjust strategies, improve performance, and identify long-term trends in your campaigns.
22 Key Types of KPIs in Digital Marketing
Digital marketing KPIs help businesses measure performance and improve campaign results. Core metrics include unique visitors, conversion rate, cost per acquisition, return on ad spend (ROAS), and customer lifetime value (CLV).
Below are 22 essential KPIs that reveal audience behavior, campaign effectiveness, and overall profitability:
1. Unique Visitors
The number of distinct individuals visiting your site. This shows the reach of your content or ads and helps measure audience size.
2. Page Views
Tracks how often a page is viewed. High numbers suggest engaging content; low numbers may point to content that needs improvement.
3. Time on Site
The average time a visitor spends on your site. Longer visits typically mean more valuable or engaging content.
4. Bounce Rate
The percentage of visitors who leave after viewing one page. A high rate may signal poor content relevance or user experience.
5. Traffic sources
Shows where visitors come from—organic search, direct, social media, or paid ads. Helps identify which channels drive the most effective traffic.
6. Conversion rate (CR)
The percentage of visitors who complete a desired action, like a purchase or sign-up. This key KPI shows how well your campaigns convert visitors into customers.
7. Cost per conversion
Shows how much you spend to gain a lead or customer. The goal is to keep this cost low while maintaining lead quality.
8. Shopping cart abandonment rate
Tracks how many users add items to their cart but don’t complete the purchase. Lowering this rate can directly increase revenue.
9. Domain authority
A score predicting how well your site may rank in search results. Influenced by backlinks, content quality, and SEO strength.
10. Click-through rate (CTR)
Measures the percentage of users who click a link after seeing it. Commonly used in email, PPC, and social ads to assess ad performance.
11. Engagement rate (likes, comments, shares)
Tracks user interaction with your content on social media. High engagement suggests strong brand interest and audience connection.
12. Open rate
The percentage of email recipients who open your emails. It helps evaluate subject line effectiveness and audience targeting.
13. Cost per click (CPC)
The amount paid each time someone clicks your ad. A lower CPC means more efficient spending per potential customer.
14. Return on ad spend (ROAS)
Shows how much revenue you earn for each dollar spent on ads. It’s key for measuring ad profitability.
15. Quality score
Used in PPC to assess the relevance of your ads, keywords, and landing pages. A higher score often leads to lower CPC and better ad placement.
16. Customer acquisition cost (CAC)
The total cost of acquiring a customer, including marketing and sales. Lower CAC increases overall profitability.
17. Customer lifetime value (CLV)
Estimates the total revenue a customer brings over their relationship with your business. Useful for guiding retention and investment strategies.
18. View and watch count
Measures how many users have viewed video content. Helps evaluate the reach and performance of video campaigns.
19. Revenue per visitor
Calculates average revenue earned per site visitor. Indicates how effectively your website turns traffic into sales.
20. Return on investment (ROI)
Compares revenue earned to total campaign costs. A core metric for evaluating marketing profitability.
21. Lead generation rate
Measures the percentage of website visitors who convert into leads. Key for tracking how well your site attracts potential customers.
22. Cost per acquisition (CPA)
Captures the total cost of acquiring a customer, including ad spend, labor, and other resources. Lower CPA means more efficient customer acquisition.
4 Best KPI Examples for Digital Marketing
Let’s look at four essential digital marketing KPIs—Conversion Rate, Return on Ad Spend (ROAS), Customer Lifetime Value (CLV), and Traffic Sources—with practical examples and strategies to improve campaign results and resource allocation.
1. Conversion Rate Example
Conversion rate measures how effectively your campaigns turn visitors into customers, leads, or subscribers. For example, on an eCommerce site, it’s the percentage of visitors who make a purchase. In a lead generation campaign, it may track how many users fill out a form or download a whitepaper.
To improve conversion rates:
- Optimize landing pages
- Use clear calls to action (CTAs)
- Simplify checkout or form processes
- Run A/B tests on page elements (e.g., headlines, images, buttons)
A strong conversion rate often falls between 2% and 5%, though continuous testing and refinement can drive better results.
2. Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) Example
ROAS measures revenue earned for each dollar spent on advertising. If you spend $1,000 on Google Ads and generate $4,000 in sales, your ROAS is 4:1.
To boost ROAS:
- Refine audience targeting by interests or behaviors
- Use retargeting to bring back non-converting visitors
- Offer incentives (e.g., cart abandonment discounts)
- Monitor and adjust low-performing ads quickly
A typical ROAS ranges from 3:1 to 5:1, though well-optimized campaigns may exceed that.
3. Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) Example
CLV estimates the total revenue a customer brings over their relationship with your business. It’s especially useful for subscription models or eCommerce brands with repeat buyers.
Example: If a customer makes four $50 purchases, their CLV is $200.
To increase CLV:
- Improve customer retention
- Use personalized experiences and email campaigns
- Implement loyalty programs with redeemable points
- Offer strong customer support to build trust
A higher CLV allows you to spend more on acquiring new customers, knowing they’ll generate long-term value.
4. Traffic Sources Example
Traffic sources show which channels bring visitors to your site—organic search, paid ads, social media, email, or direct.
Example: High organic traffic means your SEO is effective; heavy paid traffic may signal strong ad performance but ongoing cost.
To optimize:
- Evaluate traffic quality, not just volume
- Compare conversion rates across channels
- Identify which sources lead to real engagement or sales
For instance, social media traffic may have lower conversion intent than organic search, where users often have specific goals.
KPIs for Different Digital Marketing Channels
Each digital marketing channel needs specific KPIs to measure success. Whether you’re focused on SEO, email marketing, PPC, social media, referrals, or content marketing, each channel contributes differently to traffic, engagement, and conversions.
Tracking the right KPIs helps you see which efforts perform best and where to improve.
Below, we’ll highlight key KPIs for each channel and explain how they reveal your campaign’s impact.
SEO
SEO KPIs focus on improving your site’s visibility and traffic from organic search. These metrics help measure how effectively your SEO strategy attracts and engages users.
Organic search traffic
Tracks the number of visitors coming from search engines like Google. Growth in this metric shows successful SEO efforts.
Keyword rankings
Indicates your site’s position in search results for targeted terms. Higher rankings usually lead to more clicks and visibility.
Domain authority
Predicts how well your site can rank in search engines. Boosting this score through backlinks and strong SEO improves performance.
Backlink quality and quantity
Measures both the number and quality of sites linking to you. High-authority backlinks help increase rankings and referral traffic.
Click-through rate (CTR) from search results
Shows how often users click on your site after seeing it in search results. A strong CTR means your meta titles and descriptions are engaging and relevant.
Email Marketing
Email marketing KPIs track how well your campaigns perform in terms of reach, engagement, and conversions. These metrics show how your audience interacts with your emails and what actions they take.
Open rate
The percentage of recipients who open your email. It reflects the effectiveness of your subject lines and audience interest.
Click-through rate (CTR)
Measures how many recipients click links in your email. A key indicator of how well your content drives users to act.
Conversion rate
Tracks how many recipients complete a desired action (like a purchase) after engaging with your email. Shows the impact of your emails on sales or leads.
List growth rate
Measures how fast your email list is growing. A steady increase keeps your reach and engagement strong.
Unsubscribe rate
Shows how many users leave your list after receiving emails. A high rate may signal poor content relevance or excessive frequency.
PPC
PPC (pay-per-click) KPIs measure the performance and cost-effectiveness of your paid ad campaigns. These metrics help you assess targeting accuracy, ad quality, and return on investment.
Click-through rate (CTR)
The percentage of users who click your ad after seeing it. A high CTR means your ad copy and targeting are effective.
Cost per click (CPC)
Tracks the amount paid for each ad click. Lower CPC with a strong CTR improves campaign efficiency.
Cost per acquisition (CPA)
Measures how much it costs to gain a customer through PPC. A critical metric for judging profitability.
Return on ad spend (ROAS)
Shows revenue earned for each dollar spent on ads. A higher ROAS indicates better ad performance and financial return.
Quality score
Used in platforms like Google Ads to rate the relevance of your ads, keywords, and landing pages. A high score can lower CPC and boost visibility.
Social Media
Social media KPIs measure how well your content performs in terms of reach, engagement, and traffic. These metrics help assess brand awareness and how effectively social platforms drive visitors to your site.
Follower growth rate
Tracks how quickly your follower count increases. A steady rise suggests your content and engagement tactics are working.
Engagement rate
Measures how often users interact with your posts (likes, comments, shares). High engagement shows your content resonates with your audience.
Reach and impressions
Reach counts unique users who see your content. Impressions track how often it’s shown. Both reflect your content’s visibility.
Click-through rate (CTR) on social posts
Shows how often users click links in your posts. Indicates how well your content drives traffic to your site or landing pages.
Social media referral traffic
Measures the number of website visitors coming from social platforms. Helps determine which platforms are effective traffic sources.
Referrals
Referral KPIs track traffic and conversions from external sources—such as affiliates, influencers, or referral programs. These metrics help measure the value and efficiency of referral channels.
Referral traffic volume
Counts how many visitors come from external sites like blogs, partners, or social media. Useful for gauging reach.
Referral conversion rate
Measures the percentage of referral visitors who complete a desired action (e.g., purchase or sign-up). Reflects traffic quality.
Average order value from referrals
Tracks the average purchase amount from referred customers. Helps assess the revenue potential of referral partnerships.
Referral program participation rate
Shows how many customers actively refer others. A high rate indicates an engaging and well-incentivized program.
Referral revenue
Measures total revenue generated from referral sources. Key for evaluating the financial impact of referrals.
Cost per referral acquisition
Calculates how much you spend to acquire a customer through referral efforts. Lower costs suggest more efficient programs.
Viral coefficient (K-factor)
Indicates how many new users are brought in by each existing user. A high K-factor signals strong word-of-mouth growth.
Content
Content marketing KPIs measure how effectively your content attracts, engages, and converts your audience. These metrics help evaluate the performance of blogs, videos, and other formats.
Content engagement
Tracks interactions such as likes, shares, and comments. High engagement shows your content is relevant and valuable to your audience.
Time spent on page
Measures how long visitors stay on a page. Longer time usually indicates the content is engaging and informative.
Social media shares
Shows how often your content is shared on social platforms. More shares increase reach and brand visibility.
Inbound links generated
Tracks backlinks from other websites. Quality backlinks improve SEO and drive referral traffic.
Lead generation from content
Measures how many leads your content generates—often through gated assets like whitepapers, eBooks, or video downloads.
How to Choose Best KPIs to Track in Digital Marketing?
Choose KPIs that directly support your business goals.
- For brand awareness, focus on reach and impressions.
- For lead generation or sales, prioritize conversion rate and customer acquisition cost (CAC).
- Match KPIs to funnel stages:
- Top-funnel → traffic and engagement
- Bottom-funnel → conversions and ROI
Align each KPI with a clear objective to ensure your tracking delivers actionable insights.
What to Avoid While Choosing KPIs in Digital Marketing?
Avoid relying on vanity metrics like page views or social likes—they may look good but often lack business impact.
Also, don’t track too many metrics. Measuring everything can lead to clutter and confusion, making it harder to act on what matters most.
How to Choose Landing Page KPIs for Digital Marketing Campaign?
To choose landing page KPIs for digital marketing campaign, focus on KPIs that measure engagement and conversions. Key metrics include:
- Conversion Rate – Shows how well your landing page turns visitors into leads or customers.
- Bounce Rate – Measures the percentage of visitors who leave without interacting. A high bounce rate may signal poor content or UX.
- Time on Page – Indicates how long users stay. More time suggests relevant and engaging content.
- Exit Rate – Tracks how often users leave from a specific page, helping identify weak points.
- Form Completion Rate – Measures how many visitors complete your form or call-to-action.
Choose metrics based on your landing page goals—whether it’s capturing leads, driving sales, or promoting sign-ups.
What is The Most Important KPI in Digital Marketing?
Conversion rate is the most critical KPI. It measures the percentage of users who complete a desired action—like purchasing, signing up, or submitting a form.
A strong conversion rate reflects:
- Quality and relevance of your traffic
- Effectiveness of your offer and messaging
- Success of your landing page and user journey
While metrics like traffic, engagement, and ROAS help track performance, conversion rate directly shows whether your marketing drives real business results. Improving it increases ROI and helps you get more value from existing traffic and budget.
Where to Find KPI Tracking Template for Digital Marketing?
You can find KPI tracking templates through tools like Google Analytics, HubSpot, or Google Looker Studio. Many marketing blogs and educational sites also offer free Excel or Google Sheets templates for download.
These templates help you track key metrics and visualize campaign performance for better decision-making.
Track KPIs That Boost Landing Page Conversions and Campaign Performance
Choosing the right KPIs is crucial for successful digital marketing. Focus on key metrics like conversion rate, customer acquisition cost (CAC), and return on investment (ROI) to ensure your campaigns deliver real results. These KPIs not only measure performance but also offer insights to refine strategies and improve outcomes.
Whether your goal is to increase traffic, drive sales, or boost engagement, using well-aligned KPIs supports smarter, data-driven decisions.
To improve conversions, consider using Landingi’s drag-and-drop editor to build optimized landing pages. Editable elements like forms, buttons, and videos make it easy to tailor pages to your audience. You can also run A/B tests and monitor user behavior through the EventTracker tool for deeper insights.
Combining actionable KPIs with effective landing page tools helps you track performance accurately and make adjustments that lead to better results.
