Use Content Marketing Metrics to Measure the Performance of Your Content Marketing Strategy and Look for Areas of Improvement
By: Darrell Cuthbert
Content marketing is a powerful tool for driving traffic, generating leads, and building brand awareness.
However, to check that your content marketing strategy is working, you need to measure the right metrics. Tracking content marketing metrics allows you to understand what’s working, what’s not, and what areas need improvement.
However, to check that your content marketing strategy is working, you need to measure the right metrics. Tracking content marketing metrics allows you to understand what’s working, what’s not, and what areas need improvement.
Why Measuring Content Marketing Success Is Important
Without tracking key metrics it’s impossible to know whether your content marketing strategy is working properly.
By measuring the performance of your written content, you can:
Whether your goal is to generate leads, increase website traffic, or improve brand awareness, metrics give you the insights you need to make informed decisions and continually improve your content marketing strategy.
By measuring the performance of your written content, you can:
- Understand how your audience engages with your content
- Identify which content types drive the most conversions
- Optimise your content strategy for better results
- Prove the ROI of your content marketing strategy to stakeholders
Whether your goal is to generate leads, increase website traffic, or improve brand awareness, metrics give you the insights you need to make informed decisions and continually improve your content marketing strategy.
Key Content Marketing Metrics to Track
Some of the most important content marketing metrics to track are:
Traffic and Page Views.
Traffic metrics measure how many people visit your website and engage with your content.
Page views track the number of times a specific article or blog post has been viewed.
High traffic and page views indicate that your content reaches a broad audience and generates interest.
How to track it: Use tools like Google Analytics to track the number of visitors to your website, the number of views on specific pages, and where your traffic is coming from (organic search, social media, referrals, etc.).
Time on Page
The average time on page metric tells you how long visitors spend on your content. Longer time on pages generally indicates that visitors find your content valuable and engaging. If visitors spend a lot of time on your article or blog post, it’s a good sign that the content meets their needs.
How to track it: Google Analytics provides insights into the average time visitors spend on each page of your website.
Bounce Rate
A measure of what percentage of visitors leave your website after viewing only the page they entered the site via. A high bounce rate usually means that visitors don’t find your content interesting or relevant enough for them to move on to other pages and explore the rest of your website.
How to track it: Google Analytics tracks the bounce rate for each page of your website. A lower bounce rate is a positive sign, indicating that visitors stay on your site and explore more content.
Engagement (Comments, Shares, and Likes)
Engagement metrics measure how much interaction your content is generating. This includes:
High engagement levels indicate that your content resonates with your audience and is valuable enough to be shared with others.
How to track it: Use social media analytics tools (or built-in platform analytics) to track shares, likes, and comments. You can also use content management systems (CMS) to track on-site engagement such as comments.
Conversion Rate
The conversion rate is one of the most important metrics for measuring the success of your content. It tracks the percentage of visitors who take a specific action after reading your content, such as filling out a form, signing up for a newsletter, downloading an e-book, or buying something.
A high conversion rate shows that your content is causing site visitors to take the desired action, e.g. becoming a subscriber, lead or customer.
How to track it: Use tools like Google Analytics, HubSpot, or other marketing automation platforms to track conversions tied to specific content pieces.
Traffic and Page Views.
Traffic metrics measure how many people visit your website and engage with your content.
Page views track the number of times a specific article or blog post has been viewed.
High traffic and page views indicate that your content reaches a broad audience and generates interest.
How to track it: Use tools like Google Analytics to track the number of visitors to your website, the number of views on specific pages, and where your traffic is coming from (organic search, social media, referrals, etc.).
Time on Page
The average time on page metric tells you how long visitors spend on your content. Longer time on pages generally indicates that visitors find your content valuable and engaging. If visitors spend a lot of time on your article or blog post, it’s a good sign that the content meets their needs.
How to track it: Google Analytics provides insights into the average time visitors spend on each page of your website.
Bounce Rate
A measure of what percentage of visitors leave your website after viewing only the page they entered the site via. A high bounce rate usually means that visitors don’t find your content interesting or relevant enough for them to move on to other pages and explore the rest of your website.
How to track it: Google Analytics tracks the bounce rate for each page of your website. A lower bounce rate is a positive sign, indicating that visitors stay on your site and explore more content.
Engagement (Comments, Shares, and Likes)
Engagement metrics measure how much interaction your content is generating. This includes:
- Comments: Indicates that readers engage with your content and start conversations.
- Social Shares: Indicates how often your content has been shared on platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter.
- Likes/Reactions: Indicates positive reception and social validation of your content.
High engagement levels indicate that your content resonates with your audience and is valuable enough to be shared with others.
How to track it: Use social media analytics tools (or built-in platform analytics) to track shares, likes, and comments. You can also use content management systems (CMS) to track on-site engagement such as comments.
Conversion Rate
The conversion rate is one of the most important metrics for measuring the success of your content. It tracks the percentage of visitors who take a specific action after reading your content, such as filling out a form, signing up for a newsletter, downloading an e-book, or buying something.
A high conversion rate shows that your content is causing site visitors to take the desired action, e.g. becoming a subscriber, lead or customer.
How to track it: Use tools like Google Analytics, HubSpot, or other marketing automation platforms to track conversions tied to specific content pieces.
Assessing the ROI of Your Written Content
To truly measure the success of your content marketing efforts, it’s important to assess the return on investment (ROI) of your written content.
This involves comparing the results (e.g., leads generated, revenue earned) against the time, money, and resources invested in creating and promoting your content.
Here’s how to calculate content ROI:
For example, if you invested $1,000 in creating an article or blog post that generated 10 leads, and those leads resulted in $5,000 worth of business, your content ROI would be 400%.
This involves comparing the results (e.g., leads generated, revenue earned) against the time, money, and resources invested in creating and promoting your content.
Here’s how to calculate content ROI:
- Track the total cost of content creation (e.g., writing, editing, design).
- Calculate the value of conversions generated from the content (e.g., revenue from leads or sales).
- Compare the revenue generated to the total cost of content creation to determine the overall ROI.
For example, if you invested $1,000 in creating an article or blog post that generated 10 leads, and those leads resulted in $5,000 worth of business, your content ROI would be 400%.
Improving Your Content Strategy Based on Metrics
Once you’ve tracked your content marketing metrics, it’s important to use those insights to optimise your content strategy.
A few ways to improve your strategy based on your metrics:
A few ways to improve your strategy based on your metrics:
- If traffic is low: Reassess your SEO strategy and ensure you’re optimising your content for the right keywords. Consider promoting your content more aggressively on social media or through email marketing.
- If time on pages is low: Focus on improving the quality of your content, making it more engaging and relevant to your audience’s needs. Use visuals, videos, or infographics to break up walls of text.
- If conversion rates are low: Refine your calls-to-action (CTAs) to make them clearer and more compelling. Ensure your content aligns with the visitor’s intent and offers a seamless path to conversion.
Conclusion/TLDR
Tracking content marketing metrics is essential for understanding the performance of your written content and improving your strategy over time.
By focusing on key metrics like traffic, engagement, conversion rates, and ROI, you can gain valuable insights into what’s working and what needs improvement.
Remember, content marketing is a long-term strategy, and regularly monitoring your metrics allows you to make data-driven decisions that lead to better results. With the right metrics in place, you can ensure that your content consistently delivers value and drives growth for your business.
By focusing on key metrics like traffic, engagement, conversion rates, and ROI, you can gain valuable insights into what’s working and what needs improvement.
Remember, content marketing is a long-term strategy, and regularly monitoring your metrics allows you to make data-driven decisions that lead to better results. With the right metrics in place, you can ensure that your content consistently delivers value and drives growth for your business.
See Also
Glossary: Copywriting, Content Writing, and Content Marketing Terms
Copywriting and Content Writing Articles
Content Marketing Articles
Glossary: Copywriting, Content Writing, and Content Marketing Terms
Copywriting and Content Writing Articles
Content Marketing Articles
Original Articles. Constant-Content.