How to Set Campaign Objectives You Can Actually Measure
A measurable objective names the change you want, the audience, the measure, the target and the deadline, and you can collect the evidence. Set it before choosing channels or creative.
A measurable campaign objective names the change you want to see, the audience it applies to, the measure you will use, the target and the deadline. Just as important, you must be able to collect the evidence. Set objectives before choosing channels or creative, because they determine what the campaign should do and how you will know whether it worked.
For businesses and organisations in Ghana, vague objectives such as "raise awareness" or "go viral" make campaigns difficult to plan, judge or improve.
Start with the business need
Ask what the organisation needs: more customers, more applications, ticket sales, donations, partners, attendance, or a change in how people see it. The campaign objective should serve that need. A campaign that produces attention without moving the business need is hard to justify.
Write the objective in five parts
A useful structure:
Increase [measure] among [audience] from [baseline] to [target] by [date].
For example: "Increase completed programme applications from eligible school leavers in Accra from 120 last year to 250 by 30 June." Each part guides decisions: who to reach, what to say and when.
Choose the right level of measure
There are three levels of evidence:
- Outputs: what the campaign produced, such as posts, adverts, events and press releases
- Engagement: how people responded, such as visits, views, comments and enquiries
- Outcomes: what changed, such as sales, registrations, attendance and partnerships
Set at least one outcome objective. Use outputs and engagement to explain how the outcome happened. See how to measure a PR campaign beyond reach for the same principle applied to PR.
Make sure you can collect the evidence
Before launch, confirm how each measure will be recorded: sales systems, registration forms, website analytics, trackable links, a "How did you hear about us?" question or partner reports. If you cannot measure something, choose a different measure or set up the means to track it.
Set a baseline
A target only makes sense against a starting point. Use last year's figures, the previous campaign or a typical month. If there is no baseline, the first campaign can establish one; say so honestly.
Set realistic targets
Base targets on past performance, budget and the size of the audience. Ambitious targets are useful; impossible ones damage morale and credibility. Our Women of Valour case study reports 3,550 registrations for the 2023 event against a target of 1,200. A clear target makes that comparison meaningful.
Connect objectives to the plan
Each channel and activity should have a defined role in reaching the objective. If an activity cannot be connected to the objective, ask why it is in the plan. See how to build a marketing campaign budget and how content and paid media teams can work from one campaign brief.
Review during and after the campaign
Check progress during the campaign so you can adjust. After it ends, compare results with targets, explain the gaps and record lessons for the next campaign. Be honest about what the evidence shows and what it cannot prove.
Related reading: researching your audience before spending on promotion and testing a campaign idea before you launch it.
PR369's Marketing and Brand Strategy service designs campaigns around a clear audience, objective and moment. Email info@pr369.com with what you need the campaign to achieve. We will begin with a strategy conversation.
