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If You’re Not Checking the Metrics, Just Print a Poster.

Paid social gives you something a billboard never will: real-time feedback. You get numbers, signals, behavior insights—basically, clues to what your audience actually cares about.

But if you’re not reading the signs, your beautifully crafted ad is just... floating. If you don’t track your ad’s performance, you might as well be handing out flyers and hope for the best.

In this article:

What Do We Mean by Metrics and Data?
Wait—What Metrics Are We Talking About?
Where to Find These Metrics
Conclusion
Key Takeaways

1. What Do We Mean by Metrics and Data?

Let’s start at the beginning. In paid social, data simply refers to the information you get about how people interact with your ads. And metrics are just the numbers that help you measure those interactions.

Think of it like this: instead of guessing how your ad performed, you get actual clues. Did people stop scrolling? Did they click? Watch the whole video? Did they buy something after? These numbers tell you what worked—and what didn’t—so you can make informed decisions moving forward.

It’s not about being a data scientist. It’s about using these insights to create more effective ads.

2. Wait—What Metrics Are We Talking About?

Clicks, scroll time, CTR, saves, drop-off points—these aren’t just numbers, they’re signals. When you know how to read them, they tell you what your audience noticed, what they skipped, what moved them, and what didn’t. And that’s gold when it comes to designing ads that perform.

🧠 Impressions
How many times your ad was shown.
Think of it as the number of times your billboard got flashed in front of someone. High impressions show visibility, but that doesn’t mean people are engaging. You’re casting the net wide—but is anyone biting?

👀 Reach
How many unique people saw your ad.
This tells you how many individuals you actually reached. If your impressions are high but reach is low, it means the same people are seeing your ad again and again (and possibly getting bored).

“A beautiful ad that doesn’t perform is just a pretty expense.”

🖱️ Click-Through Rate (CTR)
The % of people who clicked after seeing your ad.
This one’s key. A low CTR usually means your creative or message isn’t resonating. Maybe the hook wasn’t clear, or the image didn’t catch their eye. A high CTR? That means curiosity or relevance is working in your favor.

💰 Cost Per Click (CPC)
How much you're paying every time someone clicks your ad.
The lower, the better (as long as the traffic is good). High CPC could mean your ad isn’t engaging—or that your targeting is too broad or competitive. It’s like paying €4 for someone to walk into your shop and just look around.

🛒 Conversions
People who did what you wanted—buy, sign up, download, etc.
This is where the ad becomes meaningful. It’s not about getting clicks—it’s about sparking action. You define what counts as a conversion depending on your goal.

🎯 Cost Per Acquisition (CPA)
How much it costs you to get one conversion.
Let’s say you spend €200 and get 10 purchases. Your CPA is €20. This metric tells you whether your paid social is actually working for your bottom line—or just eating into it.

🤳 Engagement
Likes, comments, shares, and saves.
This shows how your content is emotionally resonating. While it’s not always linked to sales, high engagement often signals that your ad is striking a chord. It’s a good sign—especially for top-of-funnel awareness.

📈 ROAS (Return on Ad Spend)
How much revenue you earned for every €1 spent.
This is the ultimate performance metric. A ROAS of 3x means you made €3 for every €1 you put in. If ROAS is too low, it’s a sign that your creative, targeting, or offer needs work.

3. Where to Find These Metrics

Simple, platform-specific breakdown:

Meta (Facebook/Instagram): Ads Manager → Campaign or Ad Set → Columns → Choose "Performance and Clicks" or customize view.
TikTok Ads Manager: Dashboard → Campaign → View Details
LinkedIn Ads: Campaign Manager → Analytics
Google Ads (for YouTube, Discovery, etc.): Campaign View → Choose “Ad Group” or “Ad Level”
Many tools like DashThis, Supermetrics, Triple Whale or agency dashboards also pull these metrics in a more visual way.

Bonus tip: You can export data or take screenshots to keep a visual archive of past results for design reference.

4. Conclusion: Design Meets Data = Better Ads, Better Results.

A beautiful ad that doesn’t perform is just a pretty expense.

My strength lies in combining visual intuition with data-backed direction.

I don’t just make things look good—I build A/B tests, explore variations, and use performance data to continuously evolve your creatives.

That’s how we go from “nice ad” to “high-performing asset.”

5. Key Takeaways

Paid social without metrics is guesswork.
You don’t need to analyze everything yourself—but someone on your team (👋) should speak data fluently.
Metrics aren’t boring—they’re your creative’s secret weapon.
Good ads come from testing. Great ads come from testing with purpose.