Tracking ROI and Campaign Performance

If you're spending time or money on marketing (and you are, even if it's just your time), you need to know if it's working. ROI tracking isn't just for big businesses – it's how smart creators turn guesses into growth strategies.

Understanding ROI (Without the MBA)

ROI (Return on Investment) sounds fancy, but it's simple:

ROI = (Revenue - Cost) / Cost × 100

Example: You spend 100 on Facebook ads and make 300 in sales. ROI = (300 - 100) / 100 × 100 = 200% ROI

You doubled your money! But here's where most creators stop, missing the full picture.

The True Cost Calculation

Let's get real about costs:

Direct Costs

• Ad spend
• Tool subscriptions
• Freelancer fees
• Design assets

Hidden Costs

• Your time (yes, this counts!)
• Platform fees
• Payment processing
• Customer support time

Real Example: Sarah thought her Instagram campaign was free. But when she calculated 20 hours at her hourly rate, plus Canva Pro, plus 3% payment processing, her "free" campaign cost over 1000. Still profitable, but not free!

Setting Up Campaign Tracking

Here's your step-by-step tracking system:

1. Create Campaign Codes

Every campaign needs a unique identifier. Use formats like:

• FB_AD_NOV24_BF (Facebook Ad, November 2024, Black Friday)
• IG_ORGANIC_DEC24_LAUNCH (Instagram Organic, December 2024, Product Launch)
• EMAIL_AUTO_EVERGREEN_WELCOME (Email Automation, Evergreen, Welcome Series)

2. Use UTM Parameters

Add these to every link to track where traffic comes from. Use Google's Campaign URL Builder or create a spreadsheet template. Consistency is everything!

3. Set Up Conversion Tracking

In Selgora, go to Analytics → Conversions:

1. Click New Conversion Goal
2. Name it clearly: "Black Friday Sale - Course"
3. Set the value: Your course price minus platform fees
4. Choose attribution window: Usually 7 or 30 days

Campaign Performance Metrics

Track these for every campaign:

Traffic Metrics

• Clicks: How many people clicked your link
• Click-Through Rate (CTR): Clicks ÷ Impressions × 100
• Cost Per Click (CPC): Total Spend ÷ Clicks
• Bounce Rate: People who left immediately

Engagement Metrics

• Time on Page: How long people stay
• Pages per Session: How many pages they view
• Video Watch Time: For video campaigns
• Email Open Rate: For email campaigns

Conversion Metrics

• Conversion Rate: Purchases ÷ Visitors × 100
• Cost Per Acquisition (CPA): Total Spend ÷ Conversions
• Average Order Value (AOV): Revenue ÷ Orders
• Customer Lifetime Value (CLV): Total revenue from a customer

Multi-Touch Attribution

Here's the truth: customers rarely buy on first contact. They might:

1. See your Instagram post
2. Click your Facebook ad a week later
3. Open your email
4. Finally buy from a retargeting ad

Who gets credit? This is attribution, and it matters:

Attribution Models

First-Touch: Credits the first interaction

• Good for: Understanding awareness channels

Last-Touch: Credits the final interaction

• Good for: Understanding closing channels

Linear: Splits credit equally

• Good for: Balanced view

Time-Decay: Recent touches get more credit

• Good for: Long sales cycles

Creating Performance Dashboards

Build a dashboard you'll actually use. Create a simple spreadsheet tracking:

• Campaign name
• Spend
• Revenue
• ROI
• Conversions
• Cost Per Acquisition
• Notes

Update it weekly and look for patterns!

A/B Testing for Performance

Never assume – always test:

What to Test

Ad Creative:

• Images vs. Videos
• Testimonials vs. Benefits
• Professional vs. Authentic

Copy:

• Long vs. Short
• Problem-focused vs. Solution-focused
• Formal vs. Conversational

Targeting:

• Broad vs. Narrow
• Interest vs. Behavior
• Lookalike vs. Cold

Landing Pages:

• Long-form vs. Short-form
• Video vs. Text
• Single CTA vs. Multiple

Testing Framework

1. Hypothesis: "Video ads will outperform images"
2. Test Setup: 50/50 budget split, same audience
3. Duration: Until statistical significance
4. Analysis: Compare CPA, not just CTR
5. Action: Scale winner, test new challenger

Calculating True ROI

Let's do a real calculation:

Immediate ROI

Campaign: Black Friday Email Blast

• Email tool cost: 30/month
• Time spent: 3 hours at your hourly rate
• Revenue generated: 1,847
• Immediate ROI: Over 1,000%

Long-Term ROI

But wait! Those customers buy again:

• 30% purchase again within 90 days
• Additional revenue from repeat purchases
• True ROI could be 5,000%+

Common Tracking Mistakes

Avoid these costly errors:

1. Ignoring View-Through Conversions: Someone sees your ad but doesn't click, then buys later
2. Double-Counting Revenue: Don't count upgrades as campaign revenue
3. Short Attribution Windows: High-ticket items need longer windows
4. Platform Silos: Platforms over-report their contribution
5. Ignoring Incrementality: Would these sales happen anyway?

Your 30-Day Action Plan

Week 1: Setup

• Install tracking codes
• Create UTM template
• Set up conversion goals
• Build basic dashboard

Week 2: Baseline

• Track all current campaigns
• Calculate current ROI
• Identify gaps in tracking
• Fix attribution issues

Week 3: Optimize

• A/B test your best campaign
• Cut your worst performer
• Double down on winners
• Test a new channel

Week 4: Scale

• Increase budget on winners
• Automate reporting
• Plan next month's tests
• Calculate true lifetime ROI

The ROI Mindset

Remember: ROI isn't just about money. Consider:

• Time ROI: Is this the best use of your hours?
• Learning ROI: What skills are you gaining?
• Relationship ROI: What connections are you building?
• Brand ROI: How does this build your reputation?

The most successful creators on Selgora don't just track money – they track momentum. Every campaign teaches you something, even the "failures."

Start tracking today. In 90 days, you'll wonder how you ever ran campaigns without this data!