Your website is one of your business's biggest assets—or it should be. To justify ongoing investment and improvements, you need to know how to measure its return. This guide walks you through what counts as investment, what counts as return, the ROI formula, tracking tools, and how to improve results.
What Counts as Website Investment
Investment includes design and development costs, hosting and maintenance, content creation, marketing and SEO, and the time you and your team spend on the site. Add these up over a defined period (e.g. one year) to get total investment.
What Counts as Website Return
Return includes direct revenue (e-commerce sales), the value of leads generated, reduced customer acquisition cost, customer service cost savings, and brand value. Assign a monetary value to leads (e.g. average deal size × conversion rate) and to support time saved.
The ROI Formula
ROI = (Revenue − Investment) ÷ Investment × 100
Example: You spent $10,000 on the site and it generated $40,000 in traceable revenue. ROI = (40,000 − 10,000) ÷ 10,000 × 100 = 300%.
Tracking Tools
Use Google Analytics for traffic and conversions, CRM integration for lead value, call tracking for phone leads, and form submissions for inquiries. Tie conversions back to revenue where possible.
How to Improve Website ROI
Focus on conversion rate optimization, SEO, speed, and mobile experience. Small gains in conversion or traffic compound quickly.
Expected timeline: Most businesses see meaningful ROI within 6–12 months if they track correctly and iterate.