Performance marketing

Performance marketing judges success with near-money KPIs: leads, orders, CPA, ROMI.

Three columns—what counts as performance, why end-to-end reporting matters, and how tests tie to ROMI—with arrows from channels to revenue.

An encyclopedia of digital marketing terms. See also all articles in «Marketer's terminology».

What it is

It is both a mindset and a channel set—often paid search, paid social, and partnerships—with optimization at the funnel bottom.

It offers fast scale control and a clear revenue link when analytics are sound.

Build end-to-end reporting. Separate brand and performance structures. Reserve budget for experiments.

Table 1. Definition and business context

Criterion	In short
Definition	It is both a mindset and a channel set—often paid search, paid social, and partnerships—with optimization at the funnel bottom.
Why businesses care	It offers fast scale control and a clear revenue link when analytics are sound.
Effect when done right	You can flex demand in peak periods without the long lag of SEO alone.

Table 2. Practice, ecosystem, and related terms

Area	What to consider
How to apply	Build end-to-end reporting. Separate brand and performance structures.
Works with	It pairs with brandformance and content.
In the glossary	ROMI and marketing return on investment, CPA: cost per action, SEO and SEM: how search channels connect, Brandformance

You can flex demand in peak periods without the long lag of SEO alone.