Measuring direct conversion tracking from specific channels such as Facebook and Google can get difficult. For example, the same person can be using different devices and different funnel paths to purchase, so it is tough to keep track of and attribute a sale to a person directly. There is also another problem; people don't want to be tracked anymore.
The Media Efficiency Ratio is often referred to as blended ROAS (Return on ad spend). However, they are not the same! ROAS only measures the efficiency of campaigns based on revenue. On the other hand, MER measures efficiency for money spent on all paid advertising as a more powerful ratio.
Calculate it Properly
To calculate the media ratio: take your total revenue divided by total ad spend. For example, $15k in revenue on $5k in spend would give you an MER of 3.0. Keep in mind that digital marketing has never been fully measurable, and no calculation will be 100% accurate. We believe by utilizing MER it provides a more holistic view of digital marketing, especially in a time where platforms, analytics, and algorithms can change daily.
Once you understand how to calculate MER, you should leverage the Media Efficiency Ratio by measuring the success of your digital advertising campaigns and turning it into an actionable Key Performance Indicator (KPI).
Run a Post-Purchase Survey
It’s good practice to run an ongoing post-purchase survey by asking your customers where they heard about your brand or product. This will help you understand a couple of things:
What channels are responsible for indirectly driving the most conversions.
What channels are the biggest factor in product/brand consideration.
Utilize Cross Channel MER
By focusing on cross-channel MER as your most important KPI for marketing, you can scale faster. It will give your brand a wider viewpoint and increase revenue through a multi-channel strategy. Whether that’s paid or organic media, MER allows brands to grow more sustainably, and take a holistic approach to growth marketing.
Once you decide which metrics you want to use that aligns with the goal of your marketing campaign consider creating a template with all of the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) you intend to track and measure. Such as:
KPI metrics at the beginning, middle and end of the campaign or other milestones (Site traffic, Time on Site, Conversions etc.)
Expectations or known potential issues
What worked well and what didn't
A summary of any unplanned events or effects
To determine whether a marketing campaign is successful, you need to measure more than just the number of sales and amount of profit directly attributed to that campaign or channel. That is why being able to optimize for your Media Efficiency Ratio is critical for any brand to achieve growth.