How Are Brands Measuring ROI?

Even with the challenges of today’s marketing world, most marketers are feeling confident about their ability to measure return on investment (ROI). A new report from Nielsen found that confidence levels are high across all major regions, with only small differences between them.

Confidence Stays High Around the World

Marketers in the Asia-Pacific region are the most confident, with 90% stating they can effectively measure ROI. North America follows closely at 88%, then Latin America at 87%, and Europe at 75%. On average, 85% of marketers worldwide feel they can track and prove the value of their marketing efforts. These numbers indicate that, although tools and markets may vary, marketers worldwide share a strong conviction in their ability to measure success.

Measuring Paid Media Performance

When it comes to paid media, some channels are easier to track than others. Marketers report the highest confidence levels in measuring ROI for social media, online and mobile video, search, and display ads. Other channels — such as connected TV, native ads, email, out-of-home, and streaming audio — follow behind.

Email, in particular, remains a reliable channel for marketers who want clear performance data. The majority say they’re “very or somewhat confident” in their ability to measure ROI from email campaigns, reinforcing email’s reputation as one of the most trackable and cost-effective marketing tools.

Looking Beyond Traditional Media

Marketers aren’t stopping at paid media — many are also tracking ROI from sponsorships and influencer marketing. Nearly 70% say they measure these efforts together with their broader marketing analytics, while about a quarter measure them separately. Only a small number, 4%, admit they don’t track these types of investments at all.

When it comes to cross-media measurement, most marketers (61%) said they focus on both reach/frequency and ROI, showing a growing desire to balance audience size with actual performance results.

Tools That Help Prove ROI

In North America, marketers are using a variety of tools to assess ROI, including media metrics, social listening, marketing mix modeling, brand lift, sales lift, surveys, attribution models, and even gut instinct.

While media metrics remain the most common approach (used by over half of marketers), many are looking for faster, more flexible methods. Traditional approaches can be thorough but often take too long to deliver insights. As a result, tools like sales lift and brand lift studies are becoming more popular because they provide timely, actionable results that help guide marketing decisions quickly.

Overall, Nielsen’s findings show that marketers are not only confident but also adapting — combining tried-and-true measurement methods with newer, data-driven tools to better understand the real impact of their campaigns.

Cate Bender, the author, is Project Coordinator of Marketing Keys