The essentials
- Shared base: spend, impressions, clicks, CTR, CPC or CPM, conversions, cost per conversion, ROAS or cost per lead, frequency.
- By channel: quality score and impression share on Google, frequency and video retention rate on Meta and TikTok, cost per qualified lead on LinkedIn, view rate on YouTube.
- 2026 benchmarks: search CTR 4 to 8%, social CTR 0.8 to 1.8%, Meta CPM €4 to €12, LinkedIn CPM €25 to €60, YouTube CPV €0.02 to €0.08.
- Comparing: only the cost per result measured in a neutral source (GA4, CRM) allows channels to be compared; platform figures can only be compared with each other.
Each advertising platform shows its own metrics, calculated its own way, and a campaign is judged badly with the wrong figures: a high CTR on Meta says nothing about profitability, a ROAS of 8 on a retargeting campaign can hide sales that would have happened anyway. This article gives the base of metrics shared by every channel, the KPIs specific to each platform, the 2026 benchmarks and the method for comparing channels with each other. The definitions are in KPI: definition, the general metrics in digital marketing KPIs.
The base shared by every campaign
| Metric | What it measures | What it does not say |
|---|---|---|
| Spend | The budget spent over the period | The full cost (agency, creative, tools) |
| Impressions and reach | The volume of delivery and the number of people reached | Whether the message was seen or understood |
| CTR (clicks / impressions) | How appealing the ad is | The quality of the traffic generated |
| CPC and CPM | The cost of the traffic or of the delivery | Profitability |
| Conversions and conversion rate | The results obtained after the click | Their real value without a strict definition |
| Cost per conversion, cost per lead | Economic efficiency | The quality of the leads or the margin |
| ROAS | The revenue per euro spent | The profit (margin, returns, incrementality) |
| Frequency | The number of exposures per person | The fatigue threshold, which varies by format |
Google Ads: search, Shopping, Performance Max
On search, the specific metrics are the quality score (1 to 10, it weighs on the CPC), the impression share (visibility on the targeted queries) and the impression share lost to budget or to rank, the conversion rate by keyword and by match type, and the cost per conversion by device. On Shopping and Performance Max, add the ROAS by product group, the share of products served, the share of clicks on brand terms (often 30 to 50% of the ROAS shown) and the share of new customers. Search CTRs sit between 4 and 8% in 2026, CPCs between €0.50 and €4 depending on the sector. The full metrics are detailed in the Google Ads KPIs.
Meta Ads: Facebook and Instagram
Beyond the base, track frequency (above 3 over 7 days, the CTR falls and the CPM rises), the video retention rate (ThruPlay, share of views at 3 and 15 seconds), the CPM by placement (Reels €4 to €9, feed €6 to €12), the cost per result by ad set and by creative, the conversion rate of the landing page and the share of conversions attributed “post-view” within the attribution window. Always compare the Meta ROAS with that of GA4 or the CRM: a gap of 30 to 50% is normal and measures the share claimed without a click. The benchmarks by objective are in the SMA KPIs.
LinkedIn Ads
LinkedIn is judged on the cost per qualified lead, not on the cost per lead. Track the CPM (€25 to €60), the CTR (0.4 to 0.8% in sponsored content, 1 to 2% in document ads), the cost per lead of the native forms (€30 to €150), the qualification rate by the sales team (20 to 40%), engagement by audience (job function, sector, size) and the share of target accounts reached. The length of the B2B cycle calls for a quarterly reading; the metrics are detailed in the KPIs to prioritise in B2B.
TikTok, YouTube and display
- TikTok: view rate at 2 and 6 seconds (the first seconds decide), CPM (€3 to €7), CTR (0.5 to 1.2%), cost per conversion, share of conversions attributed post-view, performance of Spark Ads compared with standard ads.
- YouTube: view rate (25 to 40% in skippable in-stream), cost per view (€0.02 to €0.08), retention at 25, 50, 75 and 100%, rise in brand searches (Search Console) in the weeks that follow, engaged-view conversions.
- Display and Demand Gen: CPM (€1 to €8), viewability rate (share of impressions actually displayed, aim above 60%), CTR (0.3 to 1.5%), post-view and post-click conversions kept separate, placement exclusions (apps, off-target sites).
2026 benchmarks in one table
| Channel | CTR | CPM or CPC | Decisive metric |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google search | 4 to 8% | CPC €0.50 to €4 | Cost per conversion, impression share |
| Google Shopping and PMax | 0.8 to 1.5% | CPC €0.30 to €1.50 | ROAS excluding brand, share of new customers |
| Meta (Facebook, Instagram) | 0.8 to 1.8% | CPM €4 to €12 | Cost per result on click, frequency |
| 0.4 to 2% | CPM €25 to €60 | Cost per qualified lead | |
| TikTok | 0.5 to 1.2% | CPM €3 to €7 | View rate at 6 s, cost per conversion |
| YouTube | 0.3 to 0.8% | CPV €0.02 to €0.08 | View rate, brand searches |
| Display | 0.3 to 0.8% | CPM €1 to €4 | Viewability, post-click conversions |
Comparing channels that do not measure the same thing
Platforms each count their conversions with their own attribution windows, and the sum of their conversions always exceeds the real total by 30 to 80%. To compare, three rules. Use a neutral source to arbitrate between channels: GA4 with data-driven attribution for B2C, the CRM for B2B; the method is in data-driven attribution. Compare the cost per result, never the CTR or the CPM: a channel that is expensive per thousand can be the cheapest per lead. Distinguish the roles: Google captures an intention, Meta and TikTok create it, display and YouTube prepare it; an awareness channel is judged on brand searches and assisted conversions, not on the last click. The common reading mistakes are detailed in the traps of reading metrics.
Organising the tracking
- One dashboard per channel: for daily optimisation, with the metrics specific to the platform.
- One consolidated dashboard: for the monthly arbitration, with spend, results and cost per result by channel taken from a neutral source.
- Strict UTM conventions: source, medium and campaign consistent across every channel, otherwise the consolidation is wrong; see tagging your digital campaigns.
- A reading period that fits: the week for search, 14 days for social, the quarter for LinkedIn and video.
How GreenRed helps
Rather than juggling several tools, GreenRed's SEA tracking and optimisation brings these metrics together in a single dashboard, compares them over time and tells you which actions come first. You can try it free, with no card, from the Pricing.
Frequently asked questions
Which KPIs are common to all advertising campaigns?
Spend, impressions and reach, clicks and CTR, CPC or CPM, conversions and conversion rate, cost per conversion or per lead, ROAS, frequency. This base supports a consolidated dashboard; the metrics specific to each platform serve optimisation inside the tool.
Which KPI matters most for a campaign?
The cost per result measured in a neutral source (GA4 or CRM): cost per qualified lead in B2B, ROAS net of margin and returns in e-commerce. The CTR, the CPM and the impressions are diagnostic metrics, not decision metrics.
Why do Google, Meta and TikTok conversions not add up?
Each platform attributes to itself every conversion preceded by a click or a view within its attribution window. The same purchase is counted by several platforms. The sum exceeds reality by 30 to 80%; only a neutral source splits the conversions between channels.
Which CTR and CPM benchmarks in 2026?
CTR of 4 to 8% on Google search, 0.8 to 1.8% on Meta, 0.4 to 2% on LinkedIn, 0.5 to 1.2% on TikTok. CPM of €4 to €12 on Meta, €3 to €7 on TikTok, €25 to €60 on LinkedIn, €1 to €4 in display. These benchmarks vary by sector, format and season.
How often should you read a campaign's KPIs?
Every week for Google search, every 14 days for Meta and TikTok (the time the algorithm needs to stabilise delivery), quarterly for LinkedIn and awareness video. A daily reading leads to decisions taken on noise.