Performance Marketing Isn't Just About ROAS–It's About Perspective

When you think about performance marketing, what's the first metric that comes to mind?

For most advertisers, it's ROAS (Return on Ad Spend)–a number that's become the go-to benchmark for evaluating paid media performance. But here's the hard truth:

A high ROAS doesn't always mean you're doing well. And a low ROAS doesn't always mean you're failing.

---

Why ROAS Alone IS Misleading

ROAS tells you how much revenue you're making from your ad spend, but it doesn't account for the full context:

• What's your Costumer Acquisition Cost (CAC)?

• Are you optimising for efficiency or scale?

• Are your conversions incremental or cannibalising organic sales?

• What about Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)? Is your CPA justified?

Chasing short-term ROAS can keep you stuck in a loop of conservative spending. Instad of scaling smart, you end up playing it safe–and losing growth opportunities.

---

What Advertisers Should Really Focus On

Here are five actionable performance metrics and concepts to balance out your media strategy:

1. Costumer Acquisition Cost (CAC)

   CAC = Total marketing + sales cost / number of new customers By looking at your blended CAC, not just your media spend and include salaries, tools, software and agency fees, you will understand the true cost of growth.

   
   

2. Incrementality

   Not every conversion is created equal.

   Would a user have converted without the ad?

   Use holdout tests, geo experiments or platform-lift studies to measure incremental impact.

   
   

3. Marginal Cost Per Acquisition

   As you scale spend, CAC increases.

   Your goal isn't to maintain ROAS–it's to buy customers at a price that makes sense as you grow.

   
   

4. Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) vs. CAC

   A great CAC means nothing if your customers don't stick around. Map your CAC against projected CLV to ensure sustainable growth.

   
   

5. Conversion Lag and Attribution

   Performance isn't always immediate. Especially in high-value industries, customers take time.

   Use tools like Google Ads conversion lag reporting and consider offline attribution methods if your funnel involves sales teams or in-store visits.

   
   

---

Key Takeaways:

Don't judge your campaign by ROAS alone. Judge it by how it supports your long-term business growth.

Performance marketing is no longer just a number game–it's a strategy game. The best media buyers today aren't just optimising ads; they are optimising business models.

---

Final Thoughts

If your performance marketing strategy starts and ends with ROAS, you're missing the bigger picture.

Smart advertisers in 2025 are asking better questions:

• How much can we scale before hitting diminishing returns?

• What's the true value of a customer?

• Are we growing or just maintaining?

  
  

---

Ready to rethink your performance marketing strategy?

At Wayve Media Agency, we work with brands who are ready to scale sustainably–balancing data, creative and business strategy. Let's chat.

Aida O. Roth, CEO