How to Know If Your Marketing Is Actually Working
Here’s the thing about marketing: it’s noisy out there. Likes, follows, views, reach, shares…so many numbers! There’s always a new metric to track, and it can feel like you need a spreadsheet and an interpreter just to make sense of it all.
But the truth is, most of those numbers don’t actually matter unless they’re moving your business or organization forward.
So how do you know if your marketing is actually working? Let’s break it down:
1. It Brings You the Right People
Good marketing isn’t just about getting more eyeballs on your content. It’s about getting the right eyeballs. If your audience feels like a revolving door of people who will never buy from you, something’s off. Strong marketing should naturally draw in the people who get what you’re about, need what you offer, and are excited to work with you.
If your inbox is full but it’s the wrong kind of inquiries (people who can’t afford you, don’t align with your style, or want something totally outside your wheelhouse) then your marketing is working against you, not for you. When it’s on target, you’ll find yourself talking to people who sound like your dream clients.
2. It Converts Curiosity into Action
Attention is great, but it only takes you so far. What really matters is what people do after they’ve seen your content. Do they click over to your website? Do they sign up for your newsletter? Do they reach out to schedule a consult or make a purchase? That’s where you see if your content is actually pulling its weight.
The best marketing creates a natural next step. Maybe it’s a blog post that nudges someone to join your email list, or an Instagram story that gets them to DM you. If people are engaging but not moving closer to you, you’ve got a gap. Engagement shows people are watching. Conversions show they care enough to act.
3. It Builds Trust Over Time
Marketing isn’t a one-and-done effort. One post won’t land you consistent sales. What does work is showing up regularly, staying true to your message, and giving people a reason to believe you know your stuff. Over time, you should start noticing people say things like, “I’ve been following you for a while,” or “I keep seeing your posts and thought I’d finally reach out.”
That’s trust at work. It builds slowly, but once it’s there, it’s powerful. Trust is what turns a casual scroller into someone who’s ready to invest. And if your marketing is building that kind of recognition and reputation, you’re playing the long game exactly the way you should.
4. It Supports Your Bigger Goals
Here’s the part that trips a lot of people up: marketing is only “working” if it’s helping you reach your actual business goals. If your goal this year is to book more clients, your marketing should clearly point people toward your services. If your goal is to grow your authority, your marketing should show off your expertise and point of view.
Sometimes the metrics look great (e.g. your posts get likes, your email list is growing, etc.) but if your actual business isn’t moving forward, then it’s time to realign. Marketing should never exist in a vacuum, it should always tie back to the bigger picture of what you’re building.
At the end of the day, marketing isn’t about chasing numbers for the sake of numbers. It’s about creating clarity, building trust, and helping the right people find you.
So if you’ve been stuck wondering whether all that effort is paying off, don’t just look at your likes. Look at your leads. Look at your sales. Look at how many new people are finding and connecting with you.
That’s the real proof your marketing is working.
