A post-campaign evaluation is a crucial step in marketing, allowing organisations to assess their campaigns’ effectiveness and identify improvement areas. By evaluating the performance of a campaign, organisations can gain valuable insights into customer behaviour, campaign performance, and return on Investment (ROI). This information can then be used to optimise future campaigns, improve customer satisfaction and retention, and achieve organisational goals. In this guide, we will discuss the various methods and tools that can be used to undertake a post-campaign evaluation and provide expert tips on how to analyse and interpret the data collected. Learn how to measure the success of your campaign and make data-driven decisions with our comprehensive guide on post-campaign evaluation.
Determine the key metrics to measure campaign performance
When evaluating a marketing campaign’s performance, a variety of key metrics can be used to measure its effectiveness. The specific metrics used will depend on the goals of the campaign and the industry in which the organisation operates. However, some common metrics that are used to measure campaign performance include:
- Reach: This metric measures the number of people exposed to the campaign through media placements or social media engagement.
- Impressions: This metric measures the number of times a campaign’s message was viewed or seen by a potential customer.
- Engagement: This metric measures customer engagement with the campaign, such as clicks on a website or social media post or the number of people who viewed a video.
- Conversion rate: This metric measures the percentage of people who took a desired action (e.g. purchased a product or fill out a form) due to the campaign.
- Return on Investment (ROI): This metric measures the campaign’s return on investment by calculating the ratio of net profit to cost.
- Website analytics: These metrics track website traffic, bounce rate, time on site, and conversion rate.
- Sales: This metric measures the number of sales made due to the campaign and the revenue generated.
- Brand awareness: This metric measures the increase in brand awareness and recall due to the campaign.
- Net Promoter Score (NPS): This metric measures customer loyalty and satisfaction by asking customers to rate the likelihood of recommending a product or service to others.
It’s important to choose the right metrics to measure the performance of a campaign, as it will help to ensure that the campaign is achieving its goals and objectives.
Determinants of success – selecting relevant metrics
This table lists some of the key determinants of success that are often used to evaluate the performance of a marketing campaign, along with relevant metrics that can be used to measure these determinants, how they can be implemented, and their purpose. This table can guide you in evaluating your campaigns’ performance and making data-driven decisions. It’s important to note that these are not the only determinants of success, and the specific metrics used may vary depending on the goals and objectives of the campaign.
| Determinant of Success | Relevant Metrics | Implementation | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reach | Number of people exposed to the campaign | Media placement tracking, social media engagement tracking | To measure the number of people who were exposed to the campaign |
| Impressions | Number of times a campaign’s message was viewed or seen | Media placement tracking, social media engagement tracking | To measure the number of times a campaign’s message was viewed or seen by a potential customer |
| Engagement | Level of customer engagement with the campaign | Click-through rate, social media engagement tracking | To measure the level of customer engagement with the campaign |
| Conversion Rate | Percentage of people who took a desired action | Landing page tracking, e-commerce tracking | To measure the effectiveness of the campaign in driving desired actions |
| ROI | The ratio of net profit to cost | Sales tracking, cost analysis | To measure the return on Investment for the campaign |
| Website analytics | Website traffic, bounce rate, time on site, conversion rate | Google Analytics, website tracking software | To measure website performance and engagement |
| Sales | Number of sales made, revenue generated | Sales tracking, revenue tracking | To measure the impact of the campaign on sales and revenue |
| Brand Awareness | Increase in brand awareness and recall | Surveys, brand tracking studies | To measure the impact of the campaign on brand awareness and recall |
| Net Promoter Score (NPS) | Customer loyalty and satisfaction | Surveys, customer feedback tracking | To measure customer loyalty and satisfaction with the campaign. |
Communications methods evaluation
Communications methods evaluation is the process of assessing the effectiveness of different communication channels and tactics that were used during a marketing campaign. This includes evaluating the performance of different media placements, such as television, radio, print, and online advertising, as well as social media, email marketing, and other forms of digital communications.
The purpose of evaluating communications methods is to identify which channels and tactics were most effective at reaching and engaging the target audience and which were less effective. This information can then be used to optimise future campaigns by allocating resources more effectively and targeting the audience through the most effective channels.
There are several methods that can be used to evaluate communications methods. Some of the most common include:
- Surveys: Surveys can be used to gather feedback from customers and target audiences about their perceptions of the campaign and which channels and tactics they found most effective.
- Media tracking: Media tracking tools can monitor the reach and engagement of different media placements, such as television, radio, and print advertisements.
- Website analytics: Website analytics can be used to track website traffic, bounce rate, time on site, and conversion rate, which can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of online advertising and digital communications.
- Social media monitoring: Social media monitoring tools can be used to track engagement and reach on social media channels, which can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of social media marketing.
- Sales data: Sales data can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of different communication channels and tactics in driving sales.
By evaluating communications methods, organisations can gain valuable insights into the effectiveness of different channels and tactics and make data-driven decisions on optimising future campaigns.
Media effectiveness evaluation
Media effectiveness evaluation assesses the performance of different media placements used during a marketing campaign. This includes evaluating the reach, engagement, and impact of different media channels, such as television, radio, print, and online advertising, as well as social media, email marketing, and other digital communications.
The purpose of evaluating media effectiveness is to identify which channels were most effective at reaching and engaging the target audience and which were less effective. This information can then be used to optimise future campaigns by allocating resources more effectively and targeting the audience through the most effective media channels.
There are several methods that can be used to evaluate media effectiveness. Some of the most common include:
- Surveys: Surveys can be used to gather feedback from customers and target audiences about their perceptions of the campaign and which media channels they found most effective.
- Media tracking: Media tracking tools can monitor the reach and engagement of different media placements, such as television, radio, and print advertisements.
- Website analytics: Website analytics can be used to track website traffic, bounce rate, time on site, and conversion rate, which can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of online advertising.
- Social media monitoring: Social media monitoring tools can be used to track engagement and reach on social media channels, which can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of social media marketing.
- Sales data: Sales data can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of different media channels in driving sales.
By evaluating media effectiveness, organisations can gain valuable insights into the performance of different media channels and make data-driven decisions on optimising future campaigns and allocating resources more effectively.
Financial analysis evaluation
Financial analysis evaluation is the process of assessing the financial performance of a marketing campaign. This includes evaluating the return on marketing investment (ROMI), which measures the financial return generated by a marketing campaign on the resources invested in it.
Return on Marketing Investment (ROMI) is a metric that calculates the financial return generated by a marketing campaign as a ratio of net profit to the cost of the campaign. It is typically expressed as a percentage or a ratio. A ROMI of 1 means that the campaign has generated a return equal to the Investment. In contrast, a ROMI greater than 1 means that the campaign has generated a return greater than the Investment.
Calculating ROMI typically involves comparing the campaign’s revenue and costs against the total Investment in the campaign. The formula is:
ROMI = (Revenue – Costs) / Investment
By evaluating the financial performance of a marketing campaign using ROMI, organisations can gain valuable insights into the campaign’s effectiveness in generating a return on Investment. This information can be used to optimise future campaigns by allocating resources more effectively and making data-driven decisions on how to improve campaign performance.
It’s important to note that ROMI is not the only metric to evaluate a campaign’s financial performance. Other metrics, such as Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) and lifetime value (LTV), should be used alongside it to gain a comprehensive view of the campaign’s financial performance.
Analytics
Analytics is the process of collecting, analysing, and interpreting data to gain insights and make data-driven decisions. In the context of marketing campaigns, analytics is used to evaluate the performance of different channels, tactics, and campaigns and to make data-driven decisions on optimising future campaigns.
Several types of analytics can be used to evaluate the performance of marketing campaigns, including:
- Descriptive analytics: Descriptive analytics describes and summarises data, such as identifying patterns and trends in customer behaviour.
- Diagnostic analytics: Diagnostic analytics is used to identify the cause of a problem or issue, such as the reasons for a decline in sales or customer satisfaction.
- Predictive analytics: Predictive analytics predicts future outcomes or trends, such as forecasting future sales or identifying the most likely customers to respond to a campaign.
- Prescriptive analytics: Prescriptive analytics provides recommendations on optimising performance or achieving desired outcomes, such as identifying the most effective channels or tactics to use in a campaign.
By using analytics to evaluate the performance of marketing campaigns, organisations can gain valuable insights into customer behaviour, campaign performance, and how to optimise future campaigns. This allows them to make data-driven decisions on how to allocate resources more effectively and improve campaign performance.
Identify key learning to inform future campaign development
Identifying key learning to inform future campaign development is the process of analysing data and feedback from past campaigns to gain insights into what worked well and what didn’t and using that information to inform the development of future campaigns.
There are several steps that organisations can take to identify key learning from past campaigns:
- Review campaign data: Review data from past campaigns, such as website analytics, social media metrics, survey responses, and sales data, to identify patterns and trends in campaign performance.
- Identify successes and failures: Identify which elements of past campaigns were successful and which were not, and consider the reasons why.
- Gather feedback: Gather feedback from customers, target audiences, and internal stakeholders to gain additional insights into the effectiveness of past campaigns.
- Conduct a post-campaign evaluation: Conduct an post-campaign formal assessment to analyse the campaign’s performance and identify key learnings.
- Identify patterns and themes: Identify patterns and themes in the data and feedback collected to gain insights into what worked well and what didn’t.
- Create an action plan: Create an action plan based on the identified key learnings, outlining specific actions to improve future campaigns.
By identifying key learning from past campaigns and using that information to inform the development of future campaigns, organisations can improve their marketing efforts and achieve better results. It’s also important to continuously monitor and evaluate the campaign throughout the execution to adjust the strategy and tactics as needed to improve the campaign performance.
Feedback loops with internal and external stakeholders
A feedback loop is a process of gathering feedback from internal and external stakeholders and using that feedback to inform decision-making and improve performance. In the context of marketing campaigns, feedback loops are used to gather feedback from internal stakeholders, such as employees, and external stakeholders, such as customers, target audiences, and other external partners.
There are several steps that organisations can take to establish feedback loops with internal and external stakeholders:
- Identify key stakeholders: Identify the key internal and external stakeholders who will likely have valuable feedback on the campaign.
- Establish communication channels: Establish communication channels, such as surveys, focus groups, or one-on-one interviews, to gather feedback from stakeholders.
- Gather feedback: Gather feedback from stakeholders using the established communication channels.
- Analyse feedback: Analyse the feedback collected to identify patterns and themes and gain insights into the campaign’s effectiveness.
- Use feedback to inform decision-making: Use the feedback gathered to inform decision-making and improve the performance of future campaigns.
- Communicate back: Communicate back to stakeholders about the changes made based on their feedback and how it has improved the campaign.
By establishing feedback loops with internal and external stakeholders, organisations can gain valuable insights into the effectiveness of their campaigns and make data-driven decisions on how to improve performance. It’s important to gather feedback regularly and continuously throughout the campaign, rather than only at the end of it, so that adjustments can be made in real-time to optimise the campaign’s results.
Link to business goals/objectives
Linking a marketing campaign to business goals and objectives is the process of aligning the campaign’s objectives with the overall goals and objectives. This helps to ensure that the campaign is aligned with the organisation’s strategic direction and that the resources invested in the campaign are contributing to the organisation’s overall success.
There are several steps that organisations can take to link their marketing campaigns to business goals and objectives:
- Identify business goals and objectives: Understand the overall goals and objectives of the organisation and the specific goals and objectives for the relevant business unit or department.
- Align campaign objectives with business goals: Align the marketing campaign’s objectives with the overall goals and objectives.
- Use metrics to track progress: Use metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) to track progress towards achieving the campaign objectives and the overall business goals and objectives.
- Continuously evaluate and adjust: Continuously evaluate and adjust the campaign as needed to ensure that it remains aligned with the overall business goals and objectives.
By linking marketing campaigns to business goals and objectives, organisations can ensure that the resources invested in the campaign contributions to the organisation’s overall success. It also helps to ensure that the campaign is aligned with the organisation’s strategic direction and that the efforts made in the campaign are aligned with the overall organisational objectives.
Evaluation reports for stakeholders
Evaluation reports for stakeholders are documents that provide information on the performance of a marketing campaign and are used to communicate the campaign’s results to stakeholders. These reports typically include information on key metrics and performance indicators, as well as insights and recommendations for future campaigns.
Evaluation reports for stakeholders can be used to:
- Communicate campaign results: Provide stakeholders with a clear and concise overview of the campaign’s performance, including key metrics such as reach, engagement, and return on Investment (ROI).
- Identify strengths and weaknesses: Identify the strengths and weaknesses of the campaign and provide recommendations for how to improve future campaigns.
- Facilitate decision-making: Provide stakeholders with the information they need to make informed decisions about future campaigns and resource allocation.
- Build credibility: Demonstrate the campaign’s value to stakeholders, and help build credibility for future campaigns.
Several key elements should be included in an evaluation report for stakeholders:
- Executive summary: A brief overview of the key findings and recommendations of the report.
- Metrics and performance indicators: Detailed information on the campaign’s performance, including key metrics and performance indicators.
- Insights and analysis: Analysis of the campaign’s performance and insights into why it performed the way it did.
- Recommendations: Recommendations for how to improve future campaigns.
- Appendices: Additional information such as data and metrics that support the report’s findings.
By creating comprehensive and clear evaluation reports for stakeholders, organisations can effectively communicate their campaigns’ results, identify improvement areas, and make data-driven decisions about future campaigns.