Measuring the return on your website
Your website should earn its keep. Track the conversions it drives, assign values and compare them with what it costs to run and improve.
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Key takeaways
- Define the website's conversions and assign each an estimated value.
- Connect website leads to real sales in your CRM.
- Compare value created with total website costs over time.
A website is often one of a business's biggest marketing investments, yet many businesses can't say what it returns. Measuring return turns the website from a cost into an asset you can manage.
1. Define what counts as a result
List the actions that create business value:
- Enquiry and quote forms
- Calls and messages from the website
- Bookings and purchases
- Newsletter sign-ups and downloads
- Job applications, if recruitment matters
2. Track them reliably
Set up conversion tracking for each action in your analytics. See our guide to conversion tracking with GA4 and Tag Manager. Test that every form and button is recorded once.
3. Assign values
For e-commerce, purchase values are tracked directly. For services, estimate a lead's value:
Lead value = share of leads that become customers × average customer value.
Assign smaller values to secondary actions, such as a newsletter sign-up, based on how often they lead to customers.
4. Connect to real sales
Analytics shows leads; your CRM shows which became customers. Record the source of each lead in your CRM and compare monthly. This shows real revenue influenced by the website, not just estimates.
5. Count the costs
Include:
- Design and development, spread over the expected life of the site
- Hosting, domain and software
- Maintenance and improvements
- Content production
- Your team's time
6. Compare value and cost
Look at value created per month or year against cost. Track how it changes as you improve pages, add content or launch campaigns.
7. Find improvement opportunities
- Pages with high traffic and low conversions
- Forms with high abandonment
- Traffic sources that bring visitors but few leads
- Services with demand but weak pages
Small improvements on high-traffic pages often produce the best returns.
Accept imperfection
Attribution is never perfect: people visit several times, talk to colleagues and call after reading. Use consistent methods and look at trends rather than exact figures.
Our website development projects set up measurement from launch, and our SEO service reports on the enquiries organic search brings.
Frequently asked questions
How do we value a lead from the website?
Multiply the share of leads that become customers by the average value of a customer. Refine it as you collect real data.
What if customers visit the website but then call?
Track calls from the website with click-to-call tracking or call tracking numbers, and ask new customers how they found you.
