In Scientific Advertising, advertising pioneer Claude C. Hopkins explains that all advertising efforts must be measured and justified. In short, successful marketing isn’t based on a whim. In the 1920s, Hopkins used coupon codes to track, test, and tweak his efforts for tremendous success. Today, digital marketing tracking codes, pixels, and measurement software easily facilitate such analysis.
Hopkins’ principle forms the foundation of integrated marketing: a data-driven approach. With data, B2Bs can discern the who, what, when, where, why, and how of their marketing channels, audience, and efforts.
Key performance indicators (KPIs) tell businesses which channels drive the most traffic, what audience they’re pulling on each channel, which ads get the most purchases, which content types and images resonate best with their audience, and what turns them off. These metrics help you calculate the return on ad spend (ROAS) to determine which efforts are paying off and which are wasted spend. Interesting data can also be gleaned from research and audits. By implementing a regular analysis and reporting schedule into your marketing strategy, you can adjust and optimize your campaigns for the best possible performance.
