Which Digital Channels Are Actually Working for Your Business?

Discover how to audit your digital marketing channels, identify what’s working, and optimize your strategy for better ROI and business growth.


Are You Investing in the Right Digital Channels?

In today’s digital world, businesses have more marketing channels than ever—but not all of them deliver results.

You might be spending thousands on Facebook Ads, but what if your target audience is actually on LinkedIn? Or maybe you’re investing heavily in SEO, but most of your leads come from email marketing?

The truth is, not every channel works the same for every business. That’s why you need a digital marketing audit—to figure out which platforms are driving real results and which ones are wasting your budget.

Let’s break down how to analyze, measure, and optimize your digital marketing channels for maximum ROI.


Step 1: Identify All the Digital Channels You’re Using

Before auditing, list every platform you’re actively using for marketing:

Paid Channels:

✔️ Google Ads
✔️ Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter (X) Ads
✔️ YouTube Ads
✔️ Influencer collaborations

Owned Media Channels:

✔️ Website & SEO strategy
✔️ Email marketing & newsletters
✔️ Blog & content marketing
✔️ YouTube videos, webinars, and podcasts

Social Media & Organic Channels:

✔️ Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter (X), TikTok
✔️ Community engagement (Reddit, Quora, forums)

📌 Question: Are you spreading your budget and energy too thin across multiple platforms, or are you focusing on what actually works?

💡 Example: A retail brand realizes they are spending $5,000/month on Pinterest Ads but only getting 2% of total sales from Pinterest. Meanwhile, Facebook Ads drive 40% of sales. Shifting budget to Facebook Ads boosts ROI.


Step 2: Collect Key Performance Data for Each Channel

To determine which channels are performing best, track these key metrics:

📊 Traffic & Engagement Metrics:

  • Website visitors (Google Analytics)
  • Social media reach & engagement
  • Email open and click-through rates

📊 Conversion & Sales Metrics:

  • Lead generation from each channel
  • Sales conversions & revenue generated
  • Cost per acquisition (CPA)

📊 ROI & Budget Metrics:

  • How much you’re spending per channel
  • How much revenue each channel brings in
  • Which channel has the highest return on investment (ROI)

Tools to Use:

  • Google Analytics → Website traffic & conversions
  • Facebook & Google Ads Manager → Ad performance tracking
  • CRM Software (HubSpot, Salesforce) → Lead and sales data
  • Email Marketing Software (Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign) → Email engagement

💡 Example: A SaaS company finds that SEO blog posts drive 60% of their website traffic, but only 5% of those visitors convert into leads. Meanwhile, email marketing converts at 25%. This insight helps them focus more on lead nurturing via email.


Step 3: Compare Performance & Identify High vs. Low ROI Channels

Once you have the data, compare how each channel is performing:

✔️ High-ROI Channels (What’s working?)

  • Channels that generate the most conversions and revenue.
  • Organic traffic sources that bring in qualified leads.
  • Low-cost channels with high engagement & customer retention.

🚫 Low-ROI Channels (What’s wasting money?)

  • Platforms where you’re spending money but seeing low conversions.
  • Ads with high CPC (cost-per-click) but no sales.
  • Social media accounts with low engagement and no real business impact.

💡 Example: A consulting firm finds that LinkedIn content marketing brings in more high-ticket clients than Facebook Ads, so they shift 70% of their ad budget to LinkedIn.


Step 4: Optimize & Double Down on What Works

Once you’ve identified the best-performing digital channels, it’s time to optimize them for even better results.

1. Increase Budget on High-Performing Paid Channels

✔️ Move more budget to ads with high ROI.
✔️ Test new ad creatives and audiences to improve performance.
✔️ Run A/B tests to refine messaging.

💡 Example: A travel agency finds that Google Ads convert 3x better than Instagram Ads, so they increase their Google Ads budget by 50% and pause Instagram Ads.


2. Improve Organic Channels That Are Already Working

✔️ If SEO brings high traffic, invest in more content & backlinks.
✔️ If email marketing converts well, improve segmentation & automation.
✔️ If social media engagement is high, engage more with users & create interactive content.

💡 Example: A beauty brand sees high engagement on TikTok but low conversions. They tweak their strategy to include direct product links and influencer collaborations, increasing sales by 35%.


3. Eliminate or Adjust Low-Performing Channels

🚫 Cut spending on underperforming ads.
🚫 Stop wasting time on social platforms that don’t generate sales.
🚫 Reallocate resources to high-converting strategies.

💡 Example: A real estate agency stops spending $3,000/month on Twitter Ads because they generate zero leads. Instead, they focus on YouTube video marketing, where leads convert 5x better.


4. Experiment with New Growth Opportunities

✔️ If one channel is topping out, test new platforms with small budgets first.
✔️ Explore partnerships and influencer marketing for additional exposure.
✔️ Repurpose content across different formats to increase reach.

💡 Example: A coaching business sees strong engagement from blog content, so they convert top-performing blog posts into YouTube videos, boosting their reach and leads.


Step 5: Track & Adjust Regularly for Long-Term Success

A digital marketing audit isn’t a one-time event—you need to track performance consistently.

📌 Set Quarterly Audits – Review data every 3 months to stay updated.
📌 Test & Iterate – Keep A/B testing to refine your strategy.
📌 Stay Agile – If trends shift, adjust your marketing focus quickly.

💡 Example: A B2B software company runs quarterly audits and discovers that SEO traffic is declining due to Google algorithm changes. They adjust their content strategy to maintain rankings and traffic.


Final Thoughts: Invest in the Right Digital Channels for Maximum ROI

Not every digital channel is worth your time and money. To maximize marketing success:
Identify the channels that bring in the most revenue.
Stop wasting resources on low-performing platforms.
Double down on high-ROI strategies.
Continuously audit and refine your digital marketing approach.

🚀 Want to learn how to audit and optimize your marketing, communication, and sales strategies?

📖 Get your copy of my book now:
👉 Is Your Strategy Working? The Importance of Auditing Communication, Marketing, and Sales

🔍 Discover step-by-step methods to evaluate, adjust, and grow your digital marketing efforts for long-term success!

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