Most “KPI” lists are metric lists in a nicer outfit — every number a platform can produce, relabeled as important. The test for a real KPI is brutally simple: when it moves, do you do something different? If the honest answer is no, it isn’t a KPI. It’s decoration, and decoration belongs in the appendix.
The only test that matters
Run every candidate through one question: “If this jumped or dropped 20% tomorrow, what would I change?” The metrics with a fast, specific answer are KPIs. The ones that just make you nod are context at best, noise at worst.
KPIs by channel
The shortlist that earns its place — and the decision each one is actually for:
| Channel | The KPI that matters | The decision it drives |
|---|---|---|
| Paid search | Cost per qualified lead | Move budget toward terms that convert |
| Paid social | Blended ROAS / CAC | Scale it, hold it, or kill the creative |
| Revenue per send | Send more, segment harder, or back off | |
| SEO | Conversions from organic | Invest in pages that convert, not just rank |
| Content | Assisted pipeline | Commission more of what influences deals |
A KPI you never act on is a vanity metric with a job title.
Retire these
They feel like progress and drive nothing. Demote to the appendix, or drop them outright:
- Impressions on their own, untethered to any outcome.
- Follower counts as a measure of marketing success.
- Total pageviews with no conversion attached.
- Email open rate as a goal — privacy changes turned it into noise.
- Keyword ranking with no traffic or conversions behind it.
Never report a number naked
Pick three to five KPIs per client, tie each to a goal, and let everything else live in the deep tables. That shortlist is the spine of a report people actually read — see marketing report templates for how to frame it, and let Maven keep each KPI live against its target instead of rebuilt by hand every month.
Jamie Isabel
Founder at Maven
