Measuring launch and content performance

Start from the objective

Choose numbers after you know what the work is for. A launch aiming for waitlist sign-ups needs different measures from a series meant to reduce support questions. For each objective, pick a small set of numbers that would genuinely show progress.

Know what each number can tell you

1. DeliveryPieces delivered and published, on-time delivery, and how long approvals take. Fully in your control.
2. AttentionViews, watch time, and completion rate. Show whether people watched, not whether they acted.
3. ResponseClicks and click-through rate. Show interest in the next step.
4. OutcomesLanding-page conversions, waitlist registrations, demo bookings, qualified leads. Closest to the objective, and influenced by much more than the video.

Define every metric before you track it

Write a short definition for each metric: what it counts, its unit, whether higher or lower is better, where the data comes from, and the reporting period. Record a baseline (where you are now) and a target with a date. Two people reading the definition should count the same thing.

Tag your links

UTM parameters are labels added to a link so your analytics tool can tell where a visit came from. Use them consistently:

• utm_source: where the link was placed (for example linkedin, newsletter, qr-shirt).
• utm_medium: the type of channel (social, email, offline).
• utm_campaign: the campaign name, kept identical across every link.
• utm_content: which piece or version, when you want to compare them.

Keep a simple list of every tagged link you publish, so the numbers can be traced back to the piece that produced them.

Be honest about attribution

Analytics can show that a visit arrived from a tagged link, but not everything that influenced a decision. People watch a video on one device and sign up on another, or hear about you from a colleague. Report what the data actually shows, and avoid crediting a single piece with an outcome the data cannot connect to it.

A missing number is unknown, not zero. Mark it as missing, and only calculate a rate when you have both of the numbers it needs.

Review on a rhythm

Look at the numbers on a regular schedule, compare them with the baseline and target, and write down what happened, what you learned, and what you will change next. Note when data is stale, so old figures aren’t mistaken for current ones.