Why “Engagement” Is Not a KPI (And What to Measure Instead)
We’ve all done it.
We launch a killer campaign, get solid engagement—likes, shares, even a few comments from influencers—and feel good.
But then sales doesn’t move. Or the CEO asks, “How is this actually helping?”
And just like that, the metrics that looked great yesterday feel completely hollow.
Because engagement isn’t ROI. And if you’re using it as a KPI, you’re setting yourself up to fail.
Engagement is a Signal, Not a Result
Don’t get me wrong—likes, shares, and clicks have their place. But they’re not results.
They’re signals. Early indicators. They tell you something is resonating, not converting.
According to this Harvard Business Review, companies that align marketing KPIs with business outcomes outperform those that don’t by 28%.
So if you want to build a career—or a business—on results, you need to go deeper.
Let’s talk content marketing ROI.
So What Should You Be Measuring?
If you want to track content marketing ROI that matters, start with these:
Lead Conversions
Track how many people downloaded, subscribed, or opted in because of your content.Revenue Attribution
Did your content touch a lead that later became a customer?Customer Retention
Are people who consume your content more likely to stay? That’s ROI.Cost per Lead (CPL)
Measure it by channel and content type. Some formats are high-return machines.Pipeline Influence
Which blog posts, videos, or guides are helping sales close the deal?
Real-World Story: Influencer Marketing Meets Measurable Content
When I launched an influencer campaign at ReTreet Resort, our engagement numbers exploded—but I didn’t stop there.
Each piece of content had a UTM link. Each offer had a tracking code. And every guest who booked from those links was logged.
The result? We could prove that our content marketing efforts led to $700K+ in growth within the first year.
👉 Read the full breakdown here
That’s content marketing ROI. Not vibes. Not guesses. Data.
Action Steps to Shift Your Strategy
Identify your conversion goal per content piece. If there isn’t one, pause before you hit publish.
Add tracking mechanisms before launch. UTM codes, custom URLs, unique offers—bake them in.
Set up attribution reporting. Google Analytics, HubSpot, or even a clean spreadsheet can show you what’s working.
Have the “so what?” test. Every metric you report should answer: So what does this mean for the business?
Ready to Prove Your Content Works?
The Marketing ROI Playbook shows you how to create content that not only connects but converts.
