A digital strategy will consist of a number of aims and objectives both tangible and non-tangible that were aligned with one or more ideas.

Value deals purely in terms of bottom line returns either through purchases, savings or lead generation. The aims of a digital strategy are often unequal when aligned to brand strategy, and worth repositions the idea against how well it matches the digital strategy aims.

KPIs
Key performance indicators are the metrics by which ROI and performance can start to be estimated and eventually measured.
• Page views • Actions completed • Visitors • Total purchases
Tangible idea returns
The easiest returns to measure and evaluate are tangible website statistics and actions.
Examples of these would be:
• Sales through the site • Audience downloading application • Leads generated through contact forms • Audience forwarding viral videos

Each of these actions can be given a simple estimate value for each idea, to be mapped directly into the aims of the digital strategy.

Non-tangible idea returns
Non-tangible returns are somewhat harder to derive.
Examples of these would be:
• Brand awareness • Presence • Reputation / impression • Education

Each of these may map directly against an expressed aim, but they are not directly measurable.