Marketing ROI: How to track what’s really working (and what’s not)

Chanel Belej

Let’s be honest, we’re all wearing a few too many hats. When you’re juggling content, customers, and cash flow, figuring out what’s actually working in your marketing output can feel like just another to-do you’ll (never) get to. But here’s the truth: if you’re not measuring your marketing ROI, you’re probably wasting time (and money) in places that aren’t serving your business.

So, let’s break it down. ROI–or return on investment–simply means: is this effort more rewarding monetarily than it is costly? Whether you’re sending emails, boosting social posts, or dabbling in SMS, it’s all trackable. You just need a plan.

1. Set your goals (and be clear about them)

ROI looks different depending on your goal. Are you aiming for more sales? Bookings? Website visits? Email sign-ups? If you’re not clear on what you want, you can’t measure success.

Before launching any campaign, ask yourself: 

• What result would make this worth the effort?
• How will I track that outcome?

This sounds simple, but you’d be surprised how often it gets skipped.

2. Metrics you can track easily

Not everything needs a spreadsheet and a PhD in data. Some channels make ROI tracking almost effortless:

• Email: Check open rates, click-throughs, and conversions (like bookings or sales).
• SMS: SMS campaigns have an open rate of up to 98%, according to ClickSend, making it one of the most effective channels for measurable engagement.
• Social media ads: Platforms like Meta and LinkedIn offer detailed metrics such as cost per click, conversions, and return on ad spend.
• Google Analytics: A free and powerful way to see where your traffic comes from and what visitors do once they land.

A heads up: Don’t take these numbers at face value. Connection always wins over clicks–build that, and the results will follow.

3. Use Unique Links or Codes

Want to know if that Instagram story resulted in any sales? Or if your newsletter led to bookings? Consider trying the following:

• Use custom URLs with UTM parameters (trackable in Google Analytics)
• Publish vanity links with tailored keywords to easily identify your campaigns (e.g. INSTA15 or EOFY30) and track conversions from each channel

This creates a clean, simple way to connect the dots without any guesswork.

4. Remember: Time is money

Stop and think. You can’t do it all.

ROI isn’t just about dollars spent; your time is an investment too. If you’re spending hours filming Reels or writing newsletters and not seeing results, that’s a hidden cost.

It might be worth asking yourself:

• Based on your input, can you justify your output? 
• Could the effort be redirected to a channel that naturally performs better with less work?

Not stretching yourself too thin in the beginning can allow for more focused attention on what has more potential. Down the track, you may be able to juggle many different channels, but this takes time and resources, which you may not have yet. 

5. Progress over perfection

Tracking ROI isn’t about being perfect, it’s about being consistent. Choose one day a month to analyse:

• What worked?
• What flopped?
• What’s worth repeating?

Even a short monthly review via my one-on-one coaching sessions can help you stop throwing spaghetti at the wall and start acting on data.

No need to start everything all at once. Start with one or two key channels and focus on one clear goal. SMS and email marketing, for example, offer high visibility and easy-to-measure results, which is why open rates are still some of the best in the business.

Marketing doesn’t need to feel like guesswork. When you start doubling down on tracking the fundamentals, you get clarity, confidence, and results that can make a world of difference in your overall business growth.