Digital Marketing

Key Metrics to Check for Running Ads: A Complete Guide for Businesses

social buzz media
January 19, 2026
5 min read

Introduction

Running ads online is one of the fastest and most effective ways to grow your business. Whether you’re a small startup in Malda or a well-established company, platforms like Facebook Ads, Google Ads, Instagram Ads, and LinkedIn Ads offer immense opportunities to reach the right audience.

But here’s the catch: creating ads is easy running them successfully is not. Success depends on tracking the right metrics. Without keeping an eye on key performance indicators (KPIs), businesses risk wasting money on campaigns that don’t bring results.

At Social Buzz Media, a digital marketing agency in Malda, we help businesses manage and optimize their ads by monitoring these crucial metrics. In this blog, we’ll guide you through the most important metrics for Facebook Ads, Google Ads, and other platforms so you can maximize your ROI.


Table of Contents

  1. Why Key Metrics Matter in Advertising
  2. Key Metrics for Facebook Ads
  3. Key Metrics for Google Ads
  4. Key Metrics for Instagram Ads
  5. Key Metrics for LinkedIn Ads
  6. Key Metrics for Display & Banner Ads
  7. Common Mistakes Businesses Make While Tracking Ads
  8. FAQs
  9. Conclusion

Why Key Metrics Matter in Advertising

Running ads without tracking metrics is like driving blindfolded—you’ll burn fuel without reaching your destination. Metrics help businesses:

  • Measure ROI: Are your ads making more money than they cost?
  • Understand your audience: Which demographics engage with your ads?
  • Optimize campaigns: What should you tweak—your creatives, targeting, or budget?
  • Avoid wasted spend: Metrics highlight which campaigns are underperforming.

By analyzing these metrics, Social Buzz Media ensures every rupee you spend contributes to growth.


Key Metrics for Facebook Ads

Facebook remains one of the most powerful advertising platforms, but only if campaigns are tracked carefully.

Key Facebook ad metrics including CTR, CPC and ROAS

1. Click-Through Rate (CTR)

CTR shows the percentage of people who clicked on your ad after seeing it. A low CTR usually means your ad copy or creatives need improvement.

2. Cost Per Click (CPC)

This is how much you pay for each click. Tracking CPC helps manage budgets effectively.

3. Conversion Rate

How many people who clicked on your ad actually took the desired action (buying, signing up, etc.).

4. Cost Per Conversion (CPA)

Measures how much each successful conversion costs. Lower CPA means your ads are efficient.

5. Engagement Rate

On Facebook, likes, shares, and comments indicate if your content is resonating with your audience.


Key Metrics for Google Ads

Google Ads metrics dashboard showing Quality Score and ROAS

Google Ads are different—they target intent-driven users actively searching for products or services.

1. Quality Score

Google assigns a score (1–10) to your ad based on relevance, landing page quality, and CTR. A higher score lowers your CPC.

2. Impression Share

Shows how often your ads are shown compared to competitors. Low impression share means you’re missing out.

3. Average Position (Ad Rank)

Determines where your ad appears in search results. Better positions usually drive more clicks.

4. Cost Per Click (CPC)

Like Facebook, CPC is crucial for budget control in Google Ads.

5. Conversion Value / ROAS (Return on Ad Spend)

Tracks how much revenue you generate compared to ad spend. ROAS tells you if the campaign is profitable.


Key Metrics for Instagram Ads

Since Instagram is visual-first, engagement metrics matter most.

1. Engagement Rate

Tracks likes, shares, comments, and saves. High engagement indicates strong audience connection.

2. Reach & Impressions

  • Reach = Unique users who saw your ad.
  • Impressions = Total times your ad was shown (including repeats).

3. Click-Through Rate (CTR)

Tells you if people are interacting with your CTA buttons (like “Shop Now” or “Learn More”).

4. Cost Per Mille (CPM)

Measures the cost per 1,000 impressions—important for brand awareness campaigns.


Key Metrics for LinkedIn Ads

Perfect for B2B businesses, LinkedIn ads focus on professional targeting.

1. Click-Through Rate (CTR)

Critical for measuring engagement from professionals.

2. Cost Per Lead (CPL)

Since LinkedIn is expensive compared to Facebook or Instagram, businesses must track CPL carefully.

3. Lead Quality

Not all leads are equal—LinkedIn metrics like job title, company size, and industry help judge quality.

4. Conversion Rate

Shows whether clicks actually turn into meaningful business opportunities.


Key Metrics for Display & Banner Ads

Display ads (graphics and banners across websites) are great for brand visibility.

1. Impressions

Measure visibility. High impressions increase brand awareness.

2. Click-Through Rate (CTR)

Shows how engaging your banner design is.

3. Bounce Rate

Tracks how many people leave immediately after clicking the ad. A high bounce rate suggests a poor landing page.

4. View-Through Conversions

Even if users don’t click your ad, they may convert later. This metric captures delayed impact.


Common Mistakes Businesses Make While Tracking Ads

  • Focusing only on vanity metrics (likes and impressions without conversions).
  • Ignoring landing page performance, which often determines conversions.
  • Not segmenting audiences, making results less clear.
  • Failing to A/B test creatives, leading to missed optimization opportunities.
  • Tracking too many metrics at once, which can overwhelm instead of clarify.

At Social Buzz Media, we simplify this by focusing on the KPIs that truly matter for your goals.


FAQs

Q1: Which metric is the most important overall?
A: It depends on your goal. For sales, focus on ROAS and CPA. For awareness, look at reach and CPM.

Q2: How often should I check my ad metrics?
A: At least weekly, but during high-budget campaigns, daily checks are recommended.

Q3: Are Facebook Ads better than Google Ads?
A: They serve different purposes. Facebook is great for brand discovery, while Google is ideal for capturing purchase intent.

Q4: What’s a good CTR for Facebook or Google Ads?
A: Average CTR for Facebook Ads is around 0.9%, while Google Search Ads average around 1.9%. Anything above that is excellent.

Q5: Can Social Buzz Media manage my ad campaigns?
A: Yes! We specialize in Facebook Ads, Google Ads, Instagram, LinkedIn, and display advertising, ensuring every campaign is ROI-driven.


Conclusion

Ads are powerful, but only when businesses monitor the right metrics. By tracking CTR, CPC, CPA, ROAS, engagement, and conversions, you can understand what’s working, what’s not, and where to improve.

At Social Buzz Media, Malda, we help businesses cut through the noise, optimize ad campaigns, and turn clicks into customers. Whether you’re preparing for Facebook Ads, Google Ads, or LinkedIn campaigns, focusing on the right KPIs is the secret to success.

Ready to take your ads to the next level? Contact Social Buzz Media today and let’s maximize your ROI together.

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