Skip to content
The Madison Avenue Field GuideA field guide to marketing & advertising, by Brandon Mina

GlossaryMeasurement & AttributionKey Performance Indicator (KPI)

Measurement & Attribution

Key Performance Indicator (KPI)

A measurable value chosen to show how effectively a campaign, team or business is achieving its key objectives.

By Brandon MinaCEO, BrandPilot AIUpdated November 2026

Short answer

A key performance indicator (KPI) is a measurable value chosen to show how effectively a campaign, team or business is achieving its key objectives. Good KPIs are tied directly to goals, tracked consistently over time and few in number, so they focus attention on outcomes that matter rather than on every available metric.