In B2B marketing, we often default to measuring success through pipeline and revenue. That makes sense—they’re the numbers that matter most at the end of the day.
But not every campaign should be expected to deliver direct response conversions.
Brand awareness, thought leadership, and long-term demand generation have value. The key is not in expecting these efforts to drive immediate pipeline, but in setting expectations around how to measure success in more appropriate, realistic ways.
Reframing Success for Upper-Funnel Campaigns
When launching paid media campaigns that don’t have a lead-gen CTA, it’s critical to align internally on what “success” looks like.
Rather than asking, “How many MQLs did this ad generate?” consider:
- Did branded search volume increase?
- Did we see a lift in direct or organic site traffic?
- Did engagement improve across other channels?
These leading indicators can give early signals that a campaign is working—even if you can’t directly tie every impression to pipeline.
A Real-World Example: Reddit for Awareness, Not Leads
Take Reddit as a channel. It’s a great platform for reaching highly engaged, niche communities. But most users aren’t on Reddit to book a sales call. They’re there to learn, explore, and ask questions.
In one recent campaign, we recommended Reddit Ads to a client with the explicit expectation that it wouldn’t generate direct leads. Instead, the goal was to:
- Introduce the brand to a new audience
- Start building mental availability
- Monitor downstream effects like branded search and total web sessions
There was no demo CTA. No form fill. Just helpful content, well-placed within relevant subreddits.
The result? A meaningful lift in branded queries and more direct traffic in Google Analytics.
Would those prospects have remembered the brand and searched for it later without the Reddit ad exposure? Probably not.
How to Frame Non-Direct Campaigns to Stakeholders
Marketers know that brand campaigns matter. But it’s not always easy to convince sales leaders, finance teams, or other execs of that value—especially if there’s no lead count to show for it.
Here are ways to set expectations and frame the impact:
1. Tie the Campaign to a Leading Metric
Identify metrics that typically correlate with pipeline and revenue:
- Branded search volume
- Direct traffic increases
- Social engagement (shares, comments, DMs)
- Newsletter signups
Then, use pre- and post-campaign comparison windows to evaluate lift.
2. Establish a Baseline Before You Launch
Track performance before your awareness campaign starts:
- Average daily branded search impressions
- Site sessions from organic/direct traffic
- Mention volume across social and community channels
Then, compare once the campaign is underway.
3. Use Correlation as a Proxy (But Be Honest About It)
If you see an increase in branded search right when a campaign launches, and nothing else in your strategy changed, it’s reasonable to assume there’s some causation.
That said, correlation is not causation—so set the expectation that we’re looking for directional signals, not hard attribution.
Channels Where This Approach Makes Sense
Certain channels and placements are better suited for upper-funnel impact:
- Reddit: High intent, low direct action. Great for credibility and content exposure.
- YouTube: Video content builds familiarity but often requires retargeting to convert.
- Display Ads: Best used for branding and retargeting rather than direct acquisition.
- Podcast Sponsorships: Builds mental availability, not clicks.
- LinkedIn Thought Leadership: Personal posts that spark engagement and trust over time.
These don’t replace direct response tactics. They support them.
Combining Awareness with Conversion Plays
Upper-funnel campaigns become even more valuable when paired with a conversion layer.
That means:
- Retargeting site visitors with lead-gen or product-focused CTAs
- Syncing awareness efforts with sales outreach
- Building audience lists off engagement for future campaigns
For example, if someone sees your Reddit ad, then searches your brand and visits your site, you can:
- Add them to a Google Ads retargeting pool
- Serve them a high-intent offer later
- Build lookalikes for Facebook or LinkedIn
The Point: Don’t Judge All Campaigns by the Same KPIs
Not every campaign needs to generate direct pipeline to be considered successful.
Brand campaigns, Reddit awareness ads, and podcast content might not spike your MQL count overnight—but they could plant the seed that drives a deal three months from now.
The key is clarity:
- Be upfront about the role of the campaign
- Tie it to leading indicators
- Track results with realism, not wishful thinking
Final Thoughts
Marketers need freedom to experiment. But that freedom depends on strong expectation-setting and thoughtful measurement.
If you’re only running campaigns that generate leads today, you’re likely missing out on the future pipeline those upper-funnel campaigns could have created.
Give your awareness efforts room to breathe—and measure them with the right metrics.
Want to explore how brand plays can complement your performance marketing efforts?
Let’s build a funnel that works top to bottom.
Contact Stratus Analytics to map out a smarter, full-funnel strategy.
Hi There! I’m Scott, and I am the principal consultant behind Stratus Analytics. I’ve have been providing freelance digital marketing services for over 20 years. DISCLAIMER: Due to my work in the packaging industry, I unforunately cannot take on freelance clients within the packaging manufacturing space. I do not want to provide disservice to your vision or my employer. Thank you for understanding.