Examples of marketing objectives
- Increase qualified leads from the website by 30% within six months.
- Grow revenue from repeat customers by 15% this year.
- Rank on the first page of Google for five priority service keywords by the end of the year.
- Lower the cost per acquisition in Google Ads to under 400 kr.
- Raise brand awareness in a new region, measured by branded searches.
How to set good marketing objectives
- Start from the business goal: revenue, profit or growth targets.
- Make them SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.
- Choose KPIs for each objective, so progress can be tracked.
- Keep them few: three to five objectives are easier to focus on than twenty.
Objectives, strategies and tactics
The objective is what you want to achieve, the strategy is how you will get there, and the tactics are the specific actions. For example, the objective is 30% more leads, the strategy is to rank for local service searches, and the tactics are new location pages, more reviews and an updated Google Business Profile.
From business goal to marketing objective
| Business goal | Marketing objective | KPI |
|---|---|---|
| Grow revenue by 20% | Add 150 new customers by December | New customers, cost per customer |
| Fill the sales pipeline | Generate 80 qualified leads a month | Qualified leads |
| Be better known in our region | Double branded searches in 12 months | Branded impressions in Search Console |
| Sell more to existing customers | Raise repeat purchase rate from 20% to 28% | Repeat rate |
How to write SMART objectives
- Start from the business goal.
- Choose one measurable number for each objective.
- Set a realistic target based on your history.
- Set a date.
- Agree who is responsible and how often you will report.
Marketing objectives mistakes
- Vague goals such as “increase awareness”.
- Too many objectives at once.
- Targets taken from another company’s results.
- Never reviewing the objectives against results.
Marketing objectives FAQs
How many objectives should I have?
Two or three at a time. See digital marketing plans and KPIs.
Objectives or goals?
Goals are broader. Objectives are specific and measurable. See customer acquisition cost.