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Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.sourcemedium.com/docs/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

Use this guide to understand Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) at global, channel, and campaign levels using SourceMedium data.

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What is ROAS?

ROAS measures the revenue generated for every dollar spent on advertising: 
ROAS = Revenue / Ad Spend
A ROAS of 3.0 means you earned 3inrevenueforevery3 in revenue for every 1 spent on ads.

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Where to find ROAS in SourceMedium

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Executive Summary

The Executive Summary module shows global ROAS across all paid channels.

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Marketing Overview

The Marketing Overview module breaks down ROAS by channel (Meta, Google, TikTok, etc.).

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Ad Performance table

For granular analysis, use rpt_ad_performance_daily:
  • ad_spend — Total spend
  • ad_platform_reported_revenue — Revenue attributed to ads (as reported by the ad platform)
  • Calculate: ad_platform_reported_revenue / ad_spend

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ROAS by attribution model

You’ll see ROAS reflected in a few different ways depending on the view you’re using:
  • Platform-reported ROAS: best for reconciling to Meta/Google/TikTok reporting, using rpt_ad_performance_daily (spend and platform-reported revenue).
  • Dashboard ROAS (blended / channel-level): best for high-level planning, shown in Executive Summary and Marketing Overview.
  • MTA ROAS (if enabled): best for multi-touch analysis, covered in the MTA documentation.
If your ROAS looks different from in-platform reporting, it’s usually due to attribution windows or revenue definitions. See attribution windows FAQ.

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Common ROAS analyses

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1. Channel comparison

Compare ROAS across channels to understand efficiency:
  • Which channels drive the best return?
  • Are you over-investing in low-ROAS channels?
Track weekly/monthly ROAS trends:
  • Identify seasonal patterns
  • Spot declining efficiency early

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3. New vs returning customer ROAS

If you have customer-level attribution:
  • What’s your ROAS on prospecting (new customers)?
  • What’s your ROAS on retargeting (returning customers)?

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Interpreting ROAS

ROASInterpretation
< 1.0Losing money on ads (spend > revenue)
1.0 - 2.0Low efficiency; may not cover COGS/overhead
2.0 - 4.0Typical range for many DTC brands
> 4.0Strong efficiency (validate it’s not measurement error)
A high ROAS isn’t always good — it may indicate under-investment in growth. Balance ROAS against total revenue and new customer acquisition.

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Common pitfalls

  • Comparing apples to oranges: Platform-reported ROAS uses different attribution than SourceMedium’s unified view.
  • Ignoring attribution windows: Different platforms use different default windows (e.g., Meta’s 7-day click / 1-day view). Check your platform settings.
  • Looking at ROAS in isolation: Always pair with total spend and revenue — a 10x ROAS on 100spendislessvaluablethan3xROASon100 spend is less valuable than 3x ROAS on 10,000 spend.