Leveraging Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) with a NEO Lens

With a clear focus on NEOs, businesses must carefully choose key performance indicators (KPIs) that align with their goals and reflect the deeper values of their target audience. KPIs should be strategically selected to provide a well-rounded view of marketing performance, going beyond surface-level metrics. While traditional KPIs like website traffic and social media engagement rates remain relevant, SMEs must look deeper to track indicators that reflect actual customer behaviours and brand impact.

For example, a business focused on building an ethical and sustainable brand should not only track website visits but also monitor actions that indicate deeper customer engagement, such as time spent exploring the brand’s mission, reading sustainability reports, or interacting with educational content. High-quality metrics such as customer satisfaction scores, loyalty indices, and net promoter scores (NPS) offer valuable insights into the emotional connection customers have with the brand—an aspect critical to NEOs.

Another important KPI to consider is return on ad spend (ROAS). For SMEs, where budgets are often limited, understanding the direct financial impact of marketing investments is essential. ROAS provides a clear view of the revenue generated relative to advertising costs, helping businesses allocate resources effectively and avoid overspending on campaigns that fail to resonate. For instance, a small skincare company that prides itself on natural and ethical sourcing would focus on how its advertising spend leads not just to sales but to long-term customer relationships. ROAS allows such a brand to differentiate between ads that drive fleeting interest and those that build enduring trust.