The New ROI: Brand Building in Cybersecurity Marketing

I’ve watched too many well-meaning marketers try to prove their worth with shiny numbers, only to crash and burn when management wasn’t impressed or, worse, wanted increasingly better returns on campaign investment. Vanity metrics can put you in a compromising position and set expectations that are impossible to meet.

Clicking is for amateurs these days

In 2025, buyers aren’t clicking on links or filling out forms with the same intensity as a few years ago. AI has made the traditional mechanism of lead capture much more challenging. A 2024 study by Search Engine Land found that clickthrough rates for traditional search ads have dropped by 15-20% since 2022, as AI-powered tools like ChatGPT and Google’s AI Overviews provide instant answers, reducing the need to visit websites (Search Engine Land – AI’s Impact on Search).

Forms are reserved for special occasions

Similarly, a 2025 Marketing Dive report notes that conversion rates for lead capture forms in industries like cybersecurity have decreased by 10-15% year-over-year, as buyers rely on AI-generated insights instead of submitting forms for gated content (Marketing Dive – AI and Marketing Trends 2025).

Buyers are bypassing search entirely

The notion that you can build content and be discovered for its quality and uniqueness is a bit ambitious given how online search is changing. SparkToro’s 2024 analysis reveals that 60% of Google searches are now “zero-click,” meaning users get answers from AI snippets or featured content without visiting a site (SparkToro – Zero-Click Search Trends). The good news? The appetite for quality content isn’t going away.

Buyers are resorting to trusted brands for their information, often bypassing search entirely. A 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer report shows that 68% of B2B buyers prefer to visit known brand websites directly, driven by trust in established brands over AI-generated or generic content (Edelman – 2025 Trust Barometer).

The good news, you can still prove campaign ROI digitally

So, how do you prove ROI in 2025? It’s all about smart brand building. You still need to create killer content with a fresh, unique perspective, but the game has shifted to channels you don’t own. Of course, continue promoting hosting all you content on you own channels like your website, social and  email. But don’t stop there.

Pour your energy into getting third parties—editors, thought leaders, influencers—to talk up your ideas.

As Forbes notes in “The New Rules of Brand Building in 2025,” authenticity and third-party endorsements are key to creating meaningful connections (Forbes – The New Rules of Brand Building in 2025). Brand building means your company’s name needs to be out there, mentioned more often and more authentically than the competition.

Here’s the plan: make a list of at least 10 editors and thought leaders you respect, zeroing in on niche, targeted channels where they share content. HubSpot’s Brand Strategy Guide emphasizes engaging niche communities to amplify your unique value proposition. Building those relationships takes time, but it’s worth every second. Get them to feature your ideas in articles, interviews, webinars, infographics, or visuals, all linking back to your site.

This isn’t pay-for-play PR—it’s gritty, hands-on brand building, and you, the marketer, need to own it. Keep creating assets like white papers and share them on you traditional channels, but only after you’ve built trust with those third parties.

I’d avoid outsourcing to a traditional PR agency at this early stage. To them, you’re just another client in their assembly line, pitching the same old trade mags.

You need personal connections with editors and thought leaders who vibe with your brand’s unique perspective to stand out.

That’s how you make your message stick, as Harvard Business Review highlights in its exploration of emotional connections driving brand loyalty (HBR – The New Science of Customer Emotions).

Superstar brand building tip: exploiting podcast search

Podcasts are about to become the go-to for granular topic searches, offering a golden SEO opportunity. A 2024 Buzzsprout study shows podcasts have a 20% higher engagement rate for niche topics compared to blog posts, with listeners spending an average of 30 minutes per episode (Buzzsprout – Podcast Marketing Stats). Search Engine Journal also notes that webinars and podcasts are powerful for combining SEO with brand authority (Search Engine Journal – SEO and Brand Building). Webinars and podcasts? They’re your ticket to building serious brand authority in 2025.

How to demonstrate objective cybersecurity campaign ROI

Track metrics that reflect the impact of your brand-building efforts. Here are some examples:

• Measure the number of third-party mentions in articles, interviews, or podcasts, aiming for at least 10 high-quality placements per quarter. Monitor referral traffic from these sources to your website, using tools like Google Analytics to quantify increases in direct visits (targeting a 10-15% boost in direct traffic, aligning with Edelman’s findings on trusted brand preference).
• Track engagement rates on webinars and podcasts, such as average listen time (Buzzsprout’s 30-minute benchmark is a good goal) or webinar attendance-to-lead conversion rates (aim for 20-30% conversion from attendees).
• Finally, survey your audience or use brand lift studies to measure recognition and trust, expecting a 5-10% increase in brand awareness within six months. These metrics—shared in clear reports—show management how your strategy drives tangible value beyond vanity metrics.

Need a hand? Connect with ISMG editors ready to tell your cybersecurity story.