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If you’re putting time and effort into creating content, you want to know it’s working, right? That’s where content marketing metrics come in. These are the numbers that help you figure out what’s working well, and what needs some work.

At THAT Agency, we help businesses get the most out of their content by tracking the right metrics. In this post, we’re breaking down the 15 content marketing metrics you should keep an eye on if you want to see real results.

Why Are Content Marketing Metrics Important?

Let’s keep it simple: If you’re not tracking your results, you’re just guessing. You might be creating amazing blog posts, videos, or social media content, but without data, you don’t know if that content is actually helping your business.

When you track the right metrics, you can:

• See what your audience likes (and what they skip)
• Improve your content over time
• Spend your budget more wisely
• Show others the value of what you’re doing

1. Website Traffic: Are People Even Visiting Your Site?

Let’s start with one of the easiest content marketing metrics to understand: website traffic. This tells you how many people are visiting your website, and it’s a great way to measure the reach of your content.

You can track website traffic using tools like Google Analytics, which is free and super powerful. It’ll show you things like:

• How many visitors your site gets each day or month
• Where those visitors came from (Google, social media, email, etc.)
• Which pages they’re spending time on

Why does this matter?

If you're posting blogs, creating landing pages, or sharing content on social media, you want to know that people are actually showing up. If your traffic is going up over time, it usually means your content is reaching more people, which is a good sign that your marketing efforts are paying off.

What if my traffic is low?

Low traffic doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It just means there’s room to grow. You might need to:

• Use better keywords so your content shows up in search engines
• Share your content more on social media or email
• Make your titles and descriptions more eye-catching to get more clicks

You can’t improve what you’re not tracking. Website traffic helps you see if your content is attracting visitors, and if not, it gives you a place to start making changes.

2. Time on Page: Are People Actually Reading Your Content?

Next up is time on page, a simple but super helpful metric. It tells you how long people are staying on a particular page of your site.

Let’s say you publish a blog post that takes about 5 minutes to read. If people are only sticking around for 10 or 15 seconds, they’re probably not reading it. But if the average time is close to 4 or 5 minutes, it means they’re likely reading most of it, or at least skimming through carefully.

Why is this important?

This metric helps you figure out:

• Is your content interesting or useful?
• Are your pages easy to read and well organized?
• Are visitors finding what they need when they land on your site?

What can affect time on page?

A few things can impact how long people stay:

• Page design – Is the font too small? Is it hard to scroll on mobile?
• Content structure – Are you using headings, short paragraphs, and bullet points to make reading easier?
• Load time – If your site takes too long to load, people might leave before they even start reading

How to improve time on page:

• Make your content clear and helpful
• Use visuals (images, videos, infographics) to keep it engaging
• Add internal links to encourage more exploration

The longer people stay, the more likely it is that they’re finding value in what you’ve created.

3. Bounce Rate: Are Visitors Leaving Too Soon?

Bounce rate shows you the percentage of people who visit your site and then leave without clicking on anything else. So if someone lands on your blog and exits right away, that counts as a bounce.

A high bounce rate means people aren’t sticking around to check out more pages. That could be because:

• They didn’t find what they were looking for
• The page didn’t grab their attention
• The site took too long to load
• The design was confusing

What’s a “normal” bounce rate?

That depends on your industry and the type of content. In general:

• 40–60% is considered average for blogs and informational content
• Lower than 40% is great, it means people are exploring
• Over 70% could be a red flag (but not always, more on that below)

Should I always aim for a low bounce rate?

Not necessarily! Sometimes a high bounce rate is okay, especially if someone lands on your blog, reads it fully, and then leaves because they got what they needed. But if your goal is to get them to take action, like visit a product page or contact you, then you’ll want to reduce your bounce rate.

How to lower bounce rate:

• Add clear next steps (like “read this next” or “contact us”)
• Link to related content or service pages
• Improve your page speed and mobile experience
• Make sure your headlines match what the page is actually about

Bounce rate tells you whether people are sticking around or leaving right away. If you want your content to drive engagement (or sales), this is a key metric to watch.

4. Pages Per Session: Are Visitors Exploring Your Site?

Pages per session is a metric that tells you how many pages someone looks at during one visit to your website. For example, if someone lands on your homepage, reads a blog post, and then clicks over to your About or Services page, that’s three pages in one session.

Why is this important?

More page views per session usually means the person is:

• Interested in what you have to say
• Curious to learn more about your products or services
• Engaging with your content instead of just bouncing after one page

Think of it this way: when someone walks into a store and browses multiple aisles, it’s a good sign they’re thinking about buying. The same goes for your website.

What’s a “good” number?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but generally:

• 1–2 pages may mean they only saw what they came for
• 3–5 pages is a strong sign they’re exploring
• 5+ pages means they’re seriously engaged

How can I improve this number?

Here are a few tips:

• Add internal links that guide people to related content (like “Read Next” or “Related Articles”)
• Make sure your navigation is easy to use, especially on mobile
• End each page with a clear next step, like reading another blog, downloading a resource, or viewing your services

The goal is to keep the conversation going. The more time people spend on your site, the more likely they are to become a lead or customer.

5. Organic Search Traffic: Are People Finding You on Google?

Organic search traffic refers to the people who find your website through a search engine, like Google, without clicking on a paid ad. If someone types “best web design agency in Florida” and finds your blog or service page in the results, that’s organic traffic.

Why does this matter for content marketing?

Organic search traffic is one of the best ways to measure content marketing success. It means your content is working hard for you, showing up when people search for topics related to your business.

What are the benefits of organic traffic?

• It’s free. You’re not paying for clicks like you would with ads.
• It builds trust. People often trust organic results more than ads.
• It keeps growing. One strong blog post can bring in traffic for months or even years.

How do I know how much organic traffic I’m getting?

Use tools like:

• Google Analytics – to see how many visitors are coming from search engines
• Google Search Console – to check which keywords people are using to find you

What if my organic traffic is low?

If you’re not getting much search traffic yet, don’t worry, this is where SEO (search engine optimization) comes in. Improving things like keyword use, page speed, and content quality can help boost your rankings and bring more traffic your way over time.

6. Keyword Rankings: Where Do You Show Up in Search Results?

When someone searches for something on Google, they usually don’t scroll very far. That’s why your keyword rankings, or where your site shows up in search results, are so important.

What does “keyword ranking” mean?

It’s your spot on Google (or other search engines) for a specific search term. For example:

• If your blog ranks #1 for “how to write better emails,” you’ll likely get a lot of traffic
• If you’re on page 3 for that keyword, very few people will see it

Why should I track keyword rankings?

Because they help you:

• Understand what’s working. You’ll see which keywords are bringing in traffic.
• Spot opportunities. You can target keywords that are close to ranking on page one.
• Monitor performance. Rankings can change, so it’s important to keep track and adjust when needed.

How can I track my rankings?

Use tools like:

• Ahrefs
  
• SEMrush
  
• Moz

What if I’m not ranking?

If your content isn’t ranking yet, don’t get discouraged. Here’s what you can do:

• Target long-tail keywords (more specific phrases with less competition)
• Improve your content’s quality, depth, and relevance
• Make sure your content is optimized for SEO, like using the keyword in the title, headers, and meta description

Improving your keyword rankings helps more people find your site, which leads to more traffic, and ultimately more leads or customers.

7. Click-Through Rate (CTR): Are People Clicking on Your Content?

Click-through rate (CTR) is a simple but powerful metric. It tells you how often people click on your content after they see it. You can measure CTR for things like:

• Blog titles in search results
• Social media posts
• Email subject lines
• Paid ads

For example, if 100 people see your blog post title in a Google search and 10 people click on it, your CTR is 10%.

Why does CTR matter?

CTR shows you whether your content is grabbing attention and encouraging people to take the next step. If your titles, headlines, or descriptions aren’t exciting or clear, people might scroll right past them, even if the content itself is amazing.

What’s a “good” CTR?

It depends on where your content is appearing. A good CTR on:

• Google search might be around 3–5%
• Email campaigns could range from 2–10%
• Social media ads might average 0.5–1%

The more competitive the platform, the lower the CTR usually is, but small changes can make a big difference.

How can I improve my CTR?

Here are some easy ways to boost it:

• Use clear and interesting headlines
• Include numbers or action words in titles (e.g., “5 Ways to Boost Sales”)
• Write strong meta descriptions so people know what to expect
• Add relevant images or preview text to make your posts stand out

CTR is your first clue that something is working, because if nobody’s clicking, they’re definitely not reading.

8. Conversion Rate: Are Visitors Taking Action?

Conversion rate is one of the most important content marketing metrics because it shows how often people do what you want them to do. A “conversion” could be:

• Filling out a contact form
• Downloading a free guide
• Signing up for a newsletter
• Buying a product or booking a service

Basically, it’s the step that turns a visitor into a lead, or even a customer.

Why is conversion rate important?

Let’s say 1,000 people read your blog. That’s great! But if only 1 of them fills out your contact form, your conversion rate is 0.1%. Now let’s say you update your blog to include a better call to action (CTA), and 20 people convert instead. That’s a 2% conversion rate, a huge improvement.

Tracking conversions helps you see:

• Which pieces of content are most effective
• Where people drop off in the process
• What types of CTAs or offers work best

What’s a good conversion rate?

It depends on your goal and industry, but here are some general benchmarks:

• 1–2% is average for lead generation
• 3–5% is strong
• 10% or higher is excellent

How can I increase conversions?

• Make your CTAs clear and easy to find
• Keep your forms short and simple
• Match your content to your audience’s needs
• Offer something valuable, like a free checklist, consultation, or quote

If your content is bringing in visitors and getting them to take action, it’s doing exactly what it should.

9. Social Shares: Are People Spreading the Word?

Social shares happen when someone shares your blog post, video, or article on a platform like Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, or Instagram. This is a sign that they found it helpful, interesting, or entertaining enough to show it to others.

Why do social shares matter?

Social shares can:

• Expand your reach – Each share puts your content in front of new people
• Boost your credibility – People trust content that comes recommended by their peers
• Increase traffic – The more people who see your content, the more likely they are to visit your website

Think of shares as word-of-mouth marketing in the digital world. If people are sharing your content, you’re making an impact.

What types of content get shared the most?

• Helpful “how-to” guides
• Infographics or quick tips
• Emotional or inspiring stories
• Funny or relatable content
• Posts that spark a conversation

How can you encourage more shares?

• Add social sharing buttons to your blog and emails
• Create content that solves a problem or answers a common question
• Include quotes, statistics, or images that are easy to repost
• Ask your audience directly: “If you found this helpful, share it with a friend!”

While shares might not always lead to conversions right away, they help you build brand awareness and reach people who might not find you otherwise.

10. Comments and Engagement: Are People Interacting with Your Content?

When people comment on your blog posts or social media, whether they’re asking questions, sharing their thoughts, or tagging friends, it’s a sign that your content is truly connecting with them. This kind of interaction is called engagement, and it’s a key signal that your content isn’t just being seen, it’s being felt.

Why does engagement matter?

Engagement shows that your content is starting a conversation. It means people care enough to stop scrolling and get involved. And in the world of digital marketing, that’s a big deal.

Engaged users are more likely to:

• Share your content with others
• Remember your brand
• Become leads or customers down the line

What counts as engagement?

• Comments on blog posts or social media
• Likes, reactions, and shares
• Tags and mentions
• DMs (direct messages) sparked by your content
• Polls, quizzes, or replies to questions

What if people aren’t engaging?

No comments doesn’t always mean your content isn’t working, but it could be a sign you need to tweak things. Try:

• Asking direct questions at the end of your content
• Responding to comments to keep the conversation going
• Creating more relatable or emotionally driven content
• Posting when your audience is most active

The more you connect with your audience, the more trust you build, and engagement is a great first step.

11. Backlinks: Are Other Websites Linking to Your Content?

A backlink is when another website links to a page on your site. Think of it like this: every backlink is a little vote of confidence from the internet. It’s like someone saying, “Hey, this content is good, you should check it out.”

Why are backlinks important?

Backlinks help with two big things:

1. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) – Google and other search engines look at backlinks as a sign that your content is trustworthy and valuable. The more quality backlinks you have, the better your chances of ranking higher in search results.
2. Traffic – Backlinks also bring new people to your website. If someone reads an article that links to your blog, they might click through and become your next reader, or customer.

What makes a backlink “high quality”?

Not all backlinks are created equal. A backlink from a well-known, reputable site is worth more than one from a random blog or spammy directory. Quality backlinks come from:

• Industry blogs or news outlets
• Partners or clients who link to your content
• Guest posts you write for other websites

How can you get more backlinks?

• Create helpful, original content that people want to reference
• Reach out to websites or blogs in your niche and suggest a collaboration
• Write guest posts for industry websites
• Use stats, data, or guides that others might want to quote

If others are linking to your content, it’s a strong sign you’re doing something right.

12. Email Engagement: Are Your Subscribers Opening and Clicking?

If you send out newsletters or marketing emails, tracking email engagement helps you understand what your audience actually wants to see. The three main things to keep an eye on are:

• Open rate – the percentage of people who opened your email
• Click-through rate (CTR) – how many people clicked on a link inside the email
• Unsubscribe rate – how many people opted out after getting your email

Why do these numbers matter?

Let’s say you send out a new blog post in an email:

• If your open rate is low, your subject line might need work.
• If people open it but don’t click, the content or CTA might not be clear or interesting.
• If lots of people unsubscribe, you may be emailing too often, or the content just isn’t what they’re looking for.

What are average benchmarks?

These can vary by industry, but here’s a rough guide:

• Open rate: 20–30% is solid
• CTR: 2–5% is typical
• Unsubscribe rate: Below 1% is ideal

How can you improve email engagement?

• Write subject lines that grab attention
• Keep your emails short and easy to read
• Include one clear CTA (like “Read More” or “Get the Guide”)
• Segment your list so people only get content they care about
• Send emails consistently, but not too often

Email is one of the few marketing tools you truly own, so keeping your list engaged is a big part of content success.

13. Content ROI: Is Your Content Actually Paying Off?

Creating content, whether it’s blog posts, videos, infographics, or email campaigns, takes time, energy, and money. So, how do you know if it’s worth it? That’s where ROI, or Return on Investment, comes in.

What is content ROI?

Content ROI tells you how much value your content is bringing in compared to what you spent creating it. In simple terms:

Is the content helping your business grow, through leads, sales, or brand awareness, more than it’s costing you to make it?

Why does content ROI matter?

Let’s say you spend $500 creating a blog post and another $100 promoting it. That’s a $600 investment. If that post brings in a $2,000 sale or a bunch of qualified leads, that’s a great return.

Tracking ROI helps you:

• See which types of content work best
• Know where to spend your marketing budget
• Prove the value of content to your team or boss

How do you calculate content ROI?

There’s a simple formula:

(Return – Investment) ÷ Investment × 100 = ROI %

For example, if a blog generates $2,000 in revenue and cost $600 to create:

($2,000 – $600) ÷ $600 = 2.33 or 233% ROI

What if my content doesn’t lead to direct sales?

Not every piece of content leads to instant money, but it can still be valuable. Some content builds trust, gets shared, or keeps people coming back. That’s part of your long-term ROI, and it’s just as important.

14. Lead Quality: Are You Attracting the Right People?

Getting leads is exciting, but getting the right leads is what really matters.

What is lead quality?

Lead quality refers to how well a lead (someone who contacts you or fills out a form) matches your ideal customer. A high-quality lead is someone who:

• Actually needs what you offer
• Has the budget to work with you
• Is ready to make a decision soon

On the other hand, a low-quality lead might not be in your service area, can’t afford your products, or is just browsing without serious interest.

Why does this matter?

If your inbox is full of leads you can’t work with, you’re wasting time following up on bad fits. That’s frustrating, and it’s a sign your content might be attracting the wrong audience.

How do you improve lead quality?

• Be specific in your content. Make it clear who your services are for.
• Use strong calls-to-action (CTAs) that guide the right people to take the next step.
• Create content that speaks to real customer problems and goals.

Let’s say you’re a web design agency. A blog post titled “What to Look for in a Custom Website Partner” will probably attract business owners, whereas a general post like “What Is a Website?” might attract students or people just learning.

In short, quality beats quantity when it comes to leads.

15. Long-Term Performance: Which Content Keeps Working Over Time?

Not all content works the same way. Some pieces get a spike of traffic right after publishing, and then fade out. Others take time to grow but keep bringing in traffic, leads, or engagement for months or even years.

This is called long-term performance, and it’s one of the most powerful parts of content marketing.

What is evergreen content?

Evergreen content is content that stays relevant over time. It keeps showing up in search results and continues to help people long after you’ve published it. Examples include:

• “How-to” guides
• Step-by-step tutorials
• FAQs
• Beginner tips or industry basics

Why should I care about long-term content performance? Because it saves you time and money in the long run. If one blog post keeps bringing in traffic every month, that’s content that continues to work for you, even while you sleep.

How do you track it? Check Google Analytics or your website data to see:

• Which blog posts or pages still bring in traffic 3, 6, or 12 months later
• What content people are linking to or sharing over time
• Which topics consistently perform well

How can I create long-lasting content?

• Focus on timeless topics that people will always search for
• Update older posts to keep them fresh and accurate
• Make sure the content is well-written, easy to read, and valuable

If you find content that performs well over time, make more of it! These are your quiet MVPs, always working behind the scenes.

How to Measure Content Marketing Effectively

So, you’ve been creating blogs, videos, or social media posts, but how do you know if it’s all actually working? That’s where measuring comes in. Tracking the right numbers (called metrics) helps you understand what’s helping your business grow, and what’s not.

But don’t worry. Measuring content marketing doesn’t have to be complicated. Let’s break it down step by step.

Step 1: Know Your Goals

Before you look at a single number, ask yourself: “What am I trying to achieve with my content?”

Different goals call for different metrics. For example:

• If your goal is to get more website traffic, look at page views and visitors.
• If you want to generate leads, focus on form submissions or email sign-ups.
• If you’re aiming for sales, track how many purchases came from content.
• If you want to build awareness, look at engagement and shares.

Your goals should guide everything else. They help you focus on what really matters instead of getting distracted by numbers that don’t support your main objectives.

Common goals include:

• Growing organic search traffic
• Getting more email subscribers
• Increasing contact form completions
• Boosting social media engagement
• Improving brand visibility

Step 2: Choose the Right Tools

Once you’ve got your goals in place, it’s time to pick the right tools to measure your progress. Here are some of the most popular (and helpful) tools that marketers use:

Google Analytics

What it does: Tracks how many people visit your website, how long they stay, what pages they view, and whether they complete actions like filling out a form or clicking a CTA.

Why it’s helpful: It shows what content gets the most traffic and how people behave on your site, perfect for measuring content performance over time.

Google Search Console

What it does: Shows you how your content ranks in Google search results, which keywords people used to find you, and how often your pages are clicked on.

Why it’s helpful: It gives you a window into what’s working in terms of SEO (search engine optimization), and helps you spot areas to improve.

Ahrefs or SEMrush

What they do: Track keyword rankings, backlinks, domain authority, and your competition’s content performance.

Why they’re helpful: If you want to improve search rankings or see who’s linking to your content, these tools give you in-depth insights you can’t get elsewhere.

HubSpot or Mailchimp

What they do: These platforms track how your emails are performing, open rates, click-through rates (CTR), unsubscribe rates, and more.

Why they’re helpful: They help you see what kind of email content your audience likes (or doesn’t), so you can send better emails in the future.

Hootsuite or Sprout Social

What they do: These tools track likes, shares, comments, and more across your social media platforms.

Why they’re helpful: They give you a full picture of how your content is performing on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and beyond, all in one place.

Step 3: Track What Matters Most

You don’t need to track every single metric right away. That can get overwhelming, and honestly, not every metric matters to every business.

Start by picking 3–5 key metrics that match your main goals. For example:

• If you want traffic, focus on page views, bounce rate, and time on page
• If you want leads, track form completions and conversion rates
• If you want better SEO, look at organic search traffic, keyword rankings, and backlinks

As your strategy grows, you can always add more metrics to your dashboard.

Step 4: Check Regularly (But Not Obsessively)

Checking your numbers once in a while isn’t enough, you need to track them consistently to spot trends, identify what’s working, and make smart improvements.

How often should I check my content metrics?

• Weekly: Great for checking in on short-term campaigns or new posts
• Monthly: Helps you see bigger patterns and trends
• Quarterly: Good for reviewing long-term growth and making strategy shifts

And remember, don’t panic if you don’t see instant results. Some content takes time to build momentum. Keep testing, learning, and adjusting as you go.

Wrapping It Up: Why Metrics Matter

Tracking content marketing metrics helps you see what’s working, what’s not, and what you should do next. Without data, you’re just taking shots in the dark. But with the right numbers in hand, you can make smart moves and keep improving.

Want help building a content strategy that’s backed by data and built for results? Check out our content marketing services or contact THAT Agency today. Let’s make sure your content is working for you.