Likes can spike from entertainment value without moving a single buyer. In golf, the campaigns that actually perform tend to show “proof,” create intent signals (saves, site behavior, qualified leads), and then convert over time. This benchmark guide is built to help brands judge golf creator performance like a media buyer, not a fan.
The 2026 measurement shift
Platforms keep de-emphasizing low-intent signals and rewarding deliberate ones: watch quality, completion, saves, shares, and post-view actions.
If you track those and connect them to site behavior and sales, you stop arguing about vanity metrics. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
Golf reality: proof sells
Benchmarks: ranges not magic numbers
Best practice: track assisted impact
One sentence rule
If a metric does not change a budget decision, it is not a benchmark. It is trivia.
Benchmark map for golf creator campaigns
This table links each metric to the decision it supports. Scroll on mobile. Top and bottom scrollbars are synced.
| Metric | Primary goal | Good use in golf | Typical fail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Completion and watch quality | Reach efficiency | Proves the content is actually consumed, not just seen. Important for product tests and swing content. | Counting “views” without retention or completion context. |
| Saves and shares | Intent | Saves often correlate with later purchase research for golf gear and apparel styling. | Optimizing for likes that do not create buyer behavior. |
| Qualified clicks | Performance | Golf buyers click when the offer is clear and the proof is credible. | Driving clicks to a generic homepage with no match to the content. |
| Conversion rate by landing page | Funnel health | Separates creator quality from a weak page, slow checkout, or confusing sizing. | Judging the creator when the landing page is the problem. |
| MER and blended CAC | Budget direction | Keeps you from over-optimizing one ad set while the business loses money. | Obsessing over ROAS while overall efficiency worsens. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1} |
1️⃣
Completion rate
Measures whether people actually finished the video.
Formula
Completions ÷ Video startsGolf use If a “new driver test” video is not finished, the proof never lands.
Benchmark notes
- Short-form: completion is one of the strongest distribution signals, especially on TikTok. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
- Use completion by video length. A 12-second clip and a 45-second clip should not be judged the same way.
2️⃣
Average watch time
How long the average viewer stays.
Formula
Total watch time ÷ Video viewsGolf use Tells you if the test, tip, or story holds attention long enough to build trust.
Benchmark notes
- TikTok guidance and industry benchmarks often discuss “15 to 20 seconds average watch duration” as a practical target for many videos. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
- YouTube watch time is central to performance and recommendations for long-form. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
3️⃣
Retention curve drop points
Where viewers leave, not just how many stayed.
Meaning Identify the exact second the audience loses interest.
Golf use If the first “proof swing” happens too late, retention collapses.
Decision it supports
- Creative edit: move the proof earlier, cut the slow intro, tighten transitions.
- Brief revision: ask for one early “result moment,” then explain the setup.
4️⃣
Saves per reach
A high-intent signal on Instagram especially.
Formula
Saves ÷ ReachGolf use Saves are common when golfers plan to revisit a tip, a fit guide, or a product breakdown.
Benchmark notes
- Meta reporting changes and platform guidance increasingly emphasize deliberate interactions (including saves) as more meaningful engagement signals. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}
- Optimize saves with: checklists, “3 mistakes,” sizing notes, and quick setup steps.
5️⃣
Shares per reach
Measures whether the content is worth passing to a friend.
Formula
Shares ÷ ReachGolf use Course hacks, rules debates, and “this actually works” tests are share magnets.
Decision it supports
- Share rate rising means your content concept is strong. Increase iterations and keep the format consistent.
- Share rate flat means your hook or payoff is weak. Fix the first 2 seconds and the final “result moment.”
6️⃣
Profile visits per reach
A bridge metric between attention and intent.
Formula
Profile visits ÷ ReachGolf use Indicates the viewer wants more context: credibility, more proof, or product details.
Decision it supports
- If profile visits are high but clicks are low, your link path is confusing or the offer is not clear.
- Fix with: pinned post, one clean link destination, and a simple call to action.
7️⃣
Link CTR
Measures how often people click to your site from the content.
Formula
Clicks ÷ Impressions (or Reach)Golf use Best for clear offers: limited drops, fittings, booking, or one flagship product.
Benchmark notes
- CTR varies heavily by placement and format. TikTok benchmarks differ by ad unit type. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}
- Use CTR with landing page conversion rate, or you will misdiagnose the problem.
8️⃣
Qualified click rate
Not all clicks are equal.
Definition The percent of clicks that behave like buyers on the site.
Golf use Golf buyers browse specs, reviews, sizes, and return policy before purchase.
How to measure
- Define a “qualified visit” as any session that hits 2+ key pages, or spends 45+ seconds, or adds to cart.
- Track it in GA4 with key events and attribution settings. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}
9️⃣
Landing page conversion rate
How well the page turns intent into action.
Formula
Conversions ÷ Landing page sessionsGolf use Separates creator quality from a weak page, slow load, or confusing sizing.
Fix order
- First: page speed and clarity.
- Second: product proof and FAQs above the fold.
- Third: trust anchors (shipping, returns, warranty) in plain language.
🔟
Cost per action (CPA) or cost per lead (CPL)
What you paid for the specific conversion you care about.
Formula
Spend ÷ ConversionsGolf use Works best when the conversion is tight: booking, email capture, fitting request, or purchase.
Benchmark notes
- Compare CPA by creator only when the landing pages and offers are similar.
- Use time windows. Golf purchases often lag the first click.
1️⃣1️⃣
Customer acquisition cost (CAC)
What you paid to get a new customer, not just a conversion.
Formula
Total acquisition spend ÷ New customersGolf use Helps evaluate apparel drops, subscriptions, and premium equipment where repeat purchase matters.
Make it real
- Separate new vs returning customers if possible.
- If you cannot, use blended CAC plus payback period to stay honest.
1️⃣2️⃣
Marketing efficiency ratio (MER)
The simplest “are we healthy” efficiency metric.
Formula
Total revenue ÷ Total marketing spendGolf use Stops teams from winning the spreadsheet but losing profit.
Benchmark notes
- MER is often used as an executive-level efficiency read, while ROAS is more tactical by campaign. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}
- Use MER alongside gross margin, or you will overvalue low-margin revenue.
1️⃣3️⃣
Assisted conversions and time lag
Golf buyers often need multiple touches.
Definition Conversions where the creator touch was in the path, not last click.
Golf use Common for equipment, premium apparel, and training systems that need trust first.
Benchmark notes
- GA4 attribution assigns credit across touchpoints based on the model you choose. :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}
- If you only judge last click, you will underfund top creators who create demand.
1️⃣4️⃣
CAC payback period
How fast you earn back acquisition cost.
Concept A time-based reality check for subscriptions and repeat-buy categories.
Golf use Especially useful when you are scaling a membership, lesson plan, or recurring apparel buyers.
Benchmark notes
- Payback is widely used by growth teams to judge efficiency beyond day-1 ROAS. :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}
- Shorter payback supports higher scaling confidence.
Golf campaign benchmark calculator
Plug in one creator or one campaign. It outputs the business metrics you can actually compare.
Enter your numbers, then click Calculate benchmarks.
