Top 5 Metrics Every Business Should Look at Before Closing Out the Year
As the year comes to a close, it’s the perfect time to pause, look back, and figure out what worked (and what didn’t). Marketing isn’t just about doing more. It’s about doing what makes sense based on real results. And that starts with reviewing the right numbers.
Whether you ran ads, posted on social, sent emails, or updated your website this year, these five key metrics will help you understand where your efforts paid off and where there’s room to grow in 2026.
1. Website Traffic and Conversions
Your website is the digital home base of your business. Year-end is a great time to review how many people visited, how they got there, and what they did once they arrived.
Look at:
total website traffic over the year
your top-performing pages
bounce rate and average time on site
conversions (form fills, calls, bookings, etc.)
These numbers tell you how effective your site is at attracting and converting visitors—and where small improvements could have a big impact.
2. Cost Per Lead (or Cost Per Acquisition)
If you’re running ads, this is one of the most important metrics to track. How much are you spending to get each new lead or customer?
Take a look at:
total ad spend vs. total leads or conversions
how different platforms performed (Google vs. Facebook, for example)
which campaigns or audiences were most cost-effective
Understanding your true cost per lead helps you budget smarter and double down on what’s working in the year ahead.
3. Social Media Engagement
It’s easy to get caught up in follower counts, but the more important number is engagement. Are people interacting with your posts, clicking your links, or sending messages?
Check:
likes, comments, shares, and saves
reach and impressions
click-through rates from social posts
DMs or inquiries generated from your social content
These metrics show you what types of content actually resonate with your audience—and help you plan smarter for next year.
4. Email Performance
If you send email campaigns or newsletters, now is the time to review how they performed across the year.
Look at:
open rates and click rates
unsubscribe rates and spam complaints
top-performing subject lines and send times
which emails actually led to sales, bookings, or traffic
Email is one of the most reliable ways to reach your audience—but only if it’s being done well. Use this data to clean up your list and improve future campaigns.
5. Lead Sources and Referral Traffic
Not all traffic is created equal. Understanding where your best leads came from helps you invest in the right places next year.
Ask:
which marketing channels brought in the most qualified leads?
did people come from organic search, social media, email, direct traffic, or referrals?
what traffic sources had the highest conversion rates?
When you know what channels are working, you can stop guessing and start scaling.
The Bottom Line
Year-end metrics aren’t just about reporting, they’re about clarity. When you know what worked this year, you can make smarter marketing decisions next year.
Related Article: What Should Be in a Small Business Marketing Plan for 2026?
At Seven4 Marketing, we help businesses track, understand, and act on their marketing data. If you’re ready to turn insights into impact for 2026, we’re here to help.