Glossary/Measurement & Attribution/Return on Investment (ROI)
Measurement & Attribution
Return on Investment (ROI)
Profit generated relative to the total cost of an investment.
By Brandon Mina·CEO, BrandPilot AI·Updated November 2026
Short answer
Return on investment (ROI) is the profit generated relative to the total cost of an investment, usually expressed as a percentage: net profit divided by cost. In marketing, it shows whether a campaign or program earned more than it cost once all expenses are counted, making it broader than ad-only metrics like ROAS.