Hi guys! If you’re in marketing or a related field, you’ve probably come across the terms KPI and OKR. They pop up in meetings, spreadsheets and strategies, but… do you know how to really use them to boost your results?
In digital marketing, where everything changes quickly, measuring what works (and what doesn’t) is the key to not wasting time and money. But how can you not get lost in the midst of so many numbers and targets?
In this article, we’ll unveil once and for all how KPIs and OKRs can be your allies when it comes to planning, executing and adjusting campaigns. Let’s go?
KPIs and OKRs: why do you need them?
Imagine you’re driving a car without a dashboard: you can’t tell how fast you’re going, how much gas is in the tank or if anything is wrong. In marketing, it’s the same. Without clear metrics, you’re in the dark.
Two concepts are essential to illuminate the path:
- KPIs (Key Performance Indicators): these are like the dashboard of a car. They show you in real time if you’re accelerating, braking or using too much fuel.
- OKRs (Objectives and Key Results): they are the GPS. They define where you want to go and the milestones that indicate that you are on the right track.
In practice: how do KPIs and OKRs complement each other?
KPI: The campaign thermometer
KPIs are figures that you monitor on a daily basis to see if things are working. Classic examples:
- Conversion rate: how many visitors become customers?
- Cost per lead: how much did you spend to capture each contact?
- Organic traffic: how many people come to your site without you paying for ads?
If website traffic drops, the KPI warns you immediately. So you can adjust content or ads before the problem snowballs.
OKR: the plan to reach the moon
OKRs are bold goals that challenge your team to go further. For example:
- Objective: To become a reference in sustainability content in your niche.
- Key Results:
- Increase organic traffic by 60%;
- Publish 15 articles on the topic in 3 months;
- Double the engagement on social networks with posts about ESG.
The difference? OKRs aren’t just numbers: they’re purposes that drive the team.
KPI vs. OKR: what’s the catch?
Don’t confuse the two!
- KPI = Daily control (e.g. “How many leads did we generate today?”).
- OKR = Transformational goal (e.g. “Dominate the regional market in 6 months”).
If your OKR is “increase sales by 40% in the quarter”, your KPIs could be “website conversion rate”, “cost per click on Google Ads” and “customer retention”.
Step by step to avoid mistakes
Defining KPIs that aren’t “spreadsheet ornaments”
Ask yourself: “What matters now?”
If the focus is brand awareness, KPIs like “Instagram reach” make sense. If it’s sales, look at “conversion rate”. In this sense, less is more, so choose 3 to 5 KPIs per project.
Make it obvious. Every team needs to understand what each KPI measures.
Creating OKRs that aren’t a pipe dream
Be ambitious, but keep your feet on the ground! If the objective is to increase the average ticket by 25%, the key results could be:
- Launch 3 new upsells;
- Create loyalty campaigns.
- Train the sales team in cross-selling.
Communicate until you’re tired: everyone needs to know the “why” behind the OKRs. Also, review them every 15 days: fixed targets, flexible strategies.
Read also: Competitor analysis in SEO: everything you need to know for your strategy
Mistakes that become a joke (but nobody laughs)
- KPIs that nobody understands: use technical acronyms that only the data analyst knows.
- Generic OKRs: “Improve online presence” is vague. “Increase organic traffic by 50%” is better.
- Forgetting to celebrate victories: if the team has beaten a difficult KPI, celebrate it! A cup of coffee or a meme in the group makes a difference.
Tools to avoid being held hostage by excel
- Google Data Studio: visual graphs to monitor KPIs in real time;
- Notion: Organize OKRs with visual templates and checklists for the team;
- Monday.com: integrate social media metrics, CRM and ads in one place.
There are also various other tools that can be used to metricate and monitor this type of development.
Conclusion
KPIs and OKRs are not bureaucracy: they are the difference between fire-fighting marketing and strategic marketing. Start with simple targets, adjust according to the results and don’t be afraid to abandon KPIs that no longer serve you.
So, are you ready to put this into practice? See you in the next article 😉
