Startup Founders: This one’s for you. Today, we’re diving into the world of outsourcing marketing — a true game-changer for startups aiming to make a big mark in their industry. 

You probably already know why outsourcing is crucial, but what about the key metrics and KPIs that should be on every founder’s radar?

Keep reading for more on metrics you should have a pulse on when it comes to outsourcing your marketing.

Why Outsource Marketing for Startups?

Outsourcing marketing is like having a marketing dream team for your startup – experts taking care of business while you focus on what you do best. But how do you ensure this dynamic duo works seamlessly? 

Metrics. So — let’s break it down.

Key Metrics for Outsourced Marketing

Website Traffic and Lead Generation

Picture this – your website is the party, and you’re inviting AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE to come. This is where knowing which website traffic and lead generation metrics matter so you can determine:

• Who’s coming
• Who’s leaving early
• Who’s giving you their contact information for another party

Metrics to Track:

• Unique Visitors 
• Page Views
• Bounce Rate
• Average Time on Site
• Traffic Sources
• Conversion Rate
• Click-Through Rate (CTR)
• Cost Per Acquisition (CPA)

Your web traffic and lead-generation metrics are a great way to evaluate the success of your marketing strategy.

Your website is the party, but how are you going to get the word out about it? The following three marketing tactics are exactly what you need to create awareness and invite people to the party.

Email Marketing

The first way to invite people to your party — send them an email! Email marketing is crucial as it provides a direct and personalized way to communicate with your audience. 

Email marketing allows for targeted messaging, enabling you to tailor content based on user preferences and behaviors. Email marketing has a reputation for fostering customer engagement and loyalty by keeping your subscribers informed about promotions, product updates, and relevant information — ultimately contributing to brand awareness and customer retention.

Metrics to Track:

• Open Rate 
• Click Through Rate 
• Click to Open Rate 
• Delivery Rate 
• Bounce Rate 

Social Media Marketing (Organic)

Social media marketing is essential for building and maintaining a strong online presence for your startup. And, when you leverage social media to create awareness about your startup (aka, party) you have a far greater chance of having people hear about your startup.

Additionally, social media marketing allows you to engage with your audience in a more authentic and meaningful way, fostering relationships and trust. Through social media efforts, you can showcase your brand’s personality, share valuable content and increase brand visibility reaching a wider audience without the need for paid advertising. 

Metrics to Track:

• Impressions
• Reach
• Clicks
• Likes
• Comments
• Shares
• Audience Growth Rate

Paid Search

Paid search is another effective way to get the word out and drive traffic directly to your website. If you find yourself seeking immediate and targeted visibility, paid search may be the perfect solution. Paid search allows you to bid on specific keywords relevant to your product or service, ensuring your ads appear in the top search results.

Paid search provides measurable and trackable results, allowing you to analyze the performance of your campaigns and optimize for better outcomes. 

Additionally, paid search also offers a flexible budget structure, allowing you to allocate resources based on your advertising goals and adjust spending as needed. 

Metrics to Track:

• Clicks
• Impressions
• Click-through Rate (CTR)
• Average Cost per Click (CPC)
• Conversion Rate
• Cost per Conversion
• Ad Position

Ultimately, paid search marketing is a powerful tool for driving qualified traffic and achieving a strong online presence.

Return on Investment (ROI)

The ultimate question – is the party worth it? We’ll explore strategies for measuring ROI in marketing and spill the beans on benchmarks for various marketing channels. Time to find out if your party’s the talk of the town.

But before we dive into assessing your ROI, we want to make this abundantly clear — when you choose to outsource marketing for your new business, your marketing partner is well aware that the work they deliver needs to get you closer to your goals. And, a great marketing partner will work alongside you to review metrics and adjust marketing strategies accordingly. 

Strategies for Assessing ROI

Setting Clear Objectives

Every party needs a purpose. Define your goals for outsourcing marketing and align them with those key metrics. Are you aiming to create awareness for your brand? Increase traffic to your site? Or, are you solely focused on increasing lead generation?  Remember, your objectives can (and should) change over time — especially with a startup. We’ll dive into this more in a bit.

Implementing Tracking Tools

Now, let’s get tech-savvy. Ensure you have access to tracking tools and analytics platforms – the secret weapons for accurate data collection. Depending on your objectives, you will want to track metrics on your social media platforms, websites, emails and any lead-generation platforms you may use. With any firm you choose to partner with for outsourced marketing for your new business, we encourage you to have a clear understanding of what metrics they can provide.

Continuous Monitoring and Adjustment

Parties evolve, and so should your strategy. Discover the importance of ongoing assessment and get strategies for adjusting marketing plans based on your real data. At first, your focus may be on defining your brand and getting your name out there. Then, once you’ve built a following, your focus may shift to generating more sales. Either way, it’s okay (and recommended) for your marketing strategy and KPIs to transform over time — that means your startup is making moves!

At the end of the day, data has the power to inform and transform how you approach your marketing strategy. When you choose to outsource marketing for your startup, you’re deciding to trust a marketing expert to take your startup to the next level.

The best marketing partners will work alongside you as an extension of your team. And, more importantly, understand the importance of proving ROI on marketing efforts, and working to adjust your marketing tactics and strategy as needed. 
If you’re in the market for an outsourced marketing partner, the team at Carter House Copy would love to connect with you. Click here to chat with us!