Performance marketing agency Door4 has highlighted recent research that showed businesses are struggling to prove the impact of their marketing efforts.
The research revealed six in ten marketing leaders are tracking the wrong metrics.
The agency says this challenge is particularly evident in industries such as the KBB sector, “where competition is at an all-time high.”
Door4 says the research highlights that 40% of marketing professionals acknowledge their focus on vanity metrics – such as social media likes, impressions, and website traffic – rather than meaningful indicators like revenue, customer retention, and lead quality. These easier-to-gather metrics fail to reflect true business outcomes, like sales performance and customer behaviour.
Explaining the marketing pitfalls, Leon Calverley, director and founder of Door4, said: “It’s surprising how many companies, particularly in the home and garden sector, rely on the wrong metrics to gauge marketing success.
“This research comes at a time when sales in the sector are declining, and predictions suggest that reduced consumer spending on home products will persist for the foreseeable future.
“Our findings show that many businesses are measuring what’s easy – such as likes and impressions – rather than what’s meaningful. This often stems from a lack of clear business objectives or a disconnect between marketing and sales teams.
“Vanity metrics may offer a sense of accomplishment, but they don’t link to key factors like revenue, conversions, or customer acquisition costs,” said Calverley. “Additionally, there’s often too much focus on short-term results instead of long-term indicators like brand equity, customer retention, and lifetime value.”
To help the sector, Door4 is hosting a free event tailored to businesses in the home and garden sector. The event aims to help marketers shift their focus towards metrics that align with business success, including return on investment (ROI), lead quality, and long-term customer engagement.
Calverley adds: “Our goal is to cut through the noise and give marketers actionable insights that will help them track the metrics that matter most. The event will feature interactive sessions and expert advice from the Door4 team, who have helped numerous brands navigate the complexities of digital marketing and analytics.”
The event will take place on Thursday, October 3, from 9am to 12noon at Brockholes Nature Reserve, Preston.