The Only Marketing Metrics Cheat Sheet You Need (ROAS, CAC, LTV, CPC, CTR & More)

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Why This Cheat Sheet Exists

Every marketing dashboard has 50+ metrics. But most of them don't matter for your daily decisions. This cheat sheet focuses on the 8 metrics that actually drive business outcomes — the ones you should check every week and use to make budget decisions.

The 8 Essential Marketing Metrics

1. ROAS (Return on Ad Spend)

ROAS = Revenue from Ads ÷ Ad Spend

Benchmarks: E-commerce 3.5-5:1 | SaaS 4-6:1 | Lead Gen 2-3:1
Calculator: ROAS Calculator →

2. CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost)

CAC = Total Sales & Marketing Cost ÷ New Customers Acquired

Benchmarks: SaaS $200-800 | E-commerce $10-50
Calculator: CAC Calculator →

3. LTV (Customer Lifetime Value)

LTV = Average Purchase Value × Purchase Frequency × Customer Lifespan

Benchmarks: SaaS $1,000-10,000+ | E-commerce $100-500
Calculator: LTV:CAC Calculator →

4. LTV:CAC Ratio

LTV:CAC = Customer Lifetime Value ÷ Customer Acquisition Cost

Benchmarks: Healthy: 3:1+ | Warning: 1-2:1 | Danger: Below 1:1
Calculator: LTV:CAC Calculator →

5. CTR (Click-Through Rate)

CTR = Clicks ÷ Impressions × 100

Benchmarks: Google Search 3-5% | Facebook 0.9-1.5%
Calculator: CTR Calculator →

6. CPC (Cost Per Click)

CPC = Total Ad Spend ÷ Total Clicks

Benchmarks: Google Search $1-3 | Facebook $0.50-2
Calculator: CPC Calculator →

7. CPM (Cost Per Mille)

CPM = (Total Ad Spend ÷ Impressions) × 1,000

Benchmarks: Facebook $5-15 | Google Display $2-10
Calculator: CPM Calculator →

8. Conversion Rate (CVR)

CVR = Conversions ÷ Total Visitors × 100

Benchmarks: E-commerce 2-4% | SaaS 3-5%
Calculator: CVR Calculator →

How These Metrics Connect

These metrics don't exist in isolation — they form a chain:

The Marketing Metrics Chain:

CPM → (impressions) → CTR → (clicks) → CPC → (visitors) → CVR → (customers) → CAC → LTV:CAC

Quick Reference: When to Use Each Metric

Situation	Primary Metric
Optimizing ad campaigns	ROAS
Budget planning	CAC + LTV
Evaluating ad creative	CTR
Brand awareness campaigns	CPM
Landing page optimization	CVR
Reporting to investors	LTV:CAC
Channel comparison	CPC + ROAS

Key Takeaways

8 metrics matter most: ROAS, CAC, LTV, LTV:CAC, CTR, CPC, CPM, CVR
They form a chain: CPM → CTR → CPC → CVR → CAC → LTV:CAC
ROAS for campaigns, LTV:CAC for business health
Use our free calculators for instant calculations on any metric

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most important marketing metrics?

The 5 most important are: ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) for campaign efficiency, CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost) for profitability, LTV:CAC ratio for sustainability, CTR (Click-Through Rate) for ad relevance, and Conversion Rate for landing page effectiveness.

How do I calculate ROAS?

ROAS = Revenue from Ads ÷ Ad Spend. A ROAS of 4:1 means you earn $4 for every $1 spent on advertising. Use our free ROAS Calculator for quick calculations.

What's a good CAC to LTV ratio?

A healthy LTV:CAC ratio is 3:1 or higher. This means for every $1 you spend acquiring a customer, they generate $3+ in lifetime value. Below 1:1 means you're losing money on acquisition.

What's a good CTR for Google Ads?

Average CTR for Google Search Ads is 3-5%. For display ads, 0.5-1% is typical. For Facebook Ads, 0.9-1.5% is average. CTR above these benchmarks indicates strong ad relevance.

How often should I track marketing metrics?

Track CPC, CTR, and CPM daily for active campaigns. Review ROAS and conversion rate weekly. Analyze CAC, LTV, and LTV:CAC monthly. Do a full metrics review quarterly for strategic planning.

The Only Marketing Metrics Cheat Sheet You Need