How do I know if my marketing is actually working?

It’s easy to spend money on marketing and hope it pays off—but without tracking, you’re just guessing. Knowing if your marketing is actually working comes down to measuring the right things, not just looking at surface-level numbers.

1. Track more than vanity metrics

Likes, follows, and impressions might feel good, but they don’t always lead to sales. The real question is whether your marketing drives leads, calls, or purchases.

2. Use proper tracking tools

Free tools like Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and Meta Pixel let you see exactly where your traffic comes from and what actions people take on your site. Without them, you’re blind to performance.

3. Connect campaigns to revenue

Every campaign should tie back to business results. If you’re running ads, track how many leads or sales came directly from those clicks. If you’re doing SEO, look at how much organic traffic converts into paying customers.

4. Set clear benchmarks

You can’t measure success without a goal. Define what matters most for your business—cost per lead, number of calls, or revenue growth—and measure against those benchmarks.

5. Look at the full customer journey

Sometimes marketing works, but not right away. A person might see an ad, visit your site, and come back two weeks later to buy. That’s why tracking tools that measure attribution across multiple touchpoints matter.

Bottom Line

Marketing that can’t be measured can’t be improved. Once you have proper tracking and clear goals, you’ll know exactly which efforts drive results and which ones waste your budget.

If you’d like help setting up tracking and uncovering where your marketing dollars actually perform, I can show you step by step.