Misreading ROI: Despite Confidence, Only One-Third Of Marketers Are Measuring Correctly

38% of marketers rely on sales or ROI to be their top or second most-important metric for measuring their success, according to new research from Nielsen, part of an industry-wide maturation from “a focus on top-of-funnel reach to a full-funnel approach that is centered on measurable business impact.”

And while proving that ROI might seem like a success-story for the 85% of marketers confident in their ROI-measuring tools and technology, less than a third are doing it correctly, the “Marketing ROI Blueprint” study says.

“Only 32% of marketers actually measure their traditional and digital spending in a truly holistic way,” the study says. “This paradox between perceived capability and actual practice suggests a potential overestimation of measurement effectiveness.”

Of the holistic tools used, most marketers (54%) rely on media metrics for their ROI evaluation, the most widely used tool ahead of marketing mix, brand lift, sales lift, and social listening.

 (Source: Nielsen)

“Marketers are moving beyond foundational metrics in search of methods that balance depth, speed, and actionable insight,” the study says. “While some approaches offer rigor, they can be too slow or complex for agile decisions. That’s why tools like sales lift and brand lift are gaining traction — they deliver timely, meaningful results.”

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