OBM In a Nutshell: How to Create an Outcome-Based Marketing (OBM) Strategy

Outcome-based marketing (OBM) has quickly earned its place as a top-tier acquisition strategy for growth-focused brands. With marketers only paying when specific outcomes are achieved, OBM eliminates guesswork and waste. Even better, it’s designed to work alongside your existing channels, helping you scale without disrupting what’s already working.

If you’re ready to unlock incremental growth and improve ROAS through performance-driven customer acquisition, follow these steps to build your OBM strategy from the ground up.

Start With The Outcomes That Matter Most

Every great OBM strategy starts with a clear definition of success. Are you focused on purchases? App installs? Calls? Leads? Identifying your ideal outcome helps to align which outcome-based model is best suited for your brand – cost-per-action (CPA), cost-per-install (CPI), cost-per-lead (CPL), etc. – ensuring campaigns are built to thrive from the start.

With OBM, you go beyond just your primary KPIs. Perform^[cb]’s Outcome Engine is equipped to optimize toward deeper-funnel events like funded accounts, policies bound, repeat purchases, and customer lifetime value (CLV) – with minimal lift on your internal team.

Diversify Your Outcome-Based Partnerships

One of the most powerful aspects of OBM is the expansive network of partners available to help you hit your goals. These partners can be seamlessly layered into your current marketing mix to enhance performance across channels.

Here are the core OBM partner types:

• Media Buyers: Experts in specific traffic sources – social, native, display, contextual – and skilled at rapid scale.
• Partnerships: Co-marketing collaborations built to drive mutual value and reach high-intent audiences.
• Content Commerce: Editorial-style placements that organically feature your brand within trusted publisher content.
• Influencers: From niche bloggers to TikTok creators, they authentically promote your product to engaged communities.
• Ambassadors: Long-term brand representatives who embody your message across multiple platforms.
• Affiliates: Performance-driven partners who promote your brand in exchange for a payout tied to results.

Whether you’re aiming to increase scale, test new tactics, or drive incrementality, these partners earn commission only after they’ve driven qualified outcomes to your brand.

Layer in New Channels Without Disrupting Your Core

OBM gives marketers the ability to test and expand into new channels without committing to large upfront budgets. Since you’re only paying when results are achieved, there’s less risk involved in experimentation – and more upside in discovering high-performing sources.With Perform^[cb]’s Outcome Engine, marketers can explore over 26 channels for testing. Here are some noteworthy mentions:

With OBM, marketers can explore over 24 channels for testing. Here are some noteworthy mentions:

This makes OBM a smart addition to any omnichannel campaign – adding depth without complexity, and performance without bloat.

Set Up Tracking That Powers Performance

Robust tracking and attribution is essential to ensure you’re getting accurate insights into what’s working and what’s not. It also ensures that top-performing sources are properly optimized over time.

Fortunately, outcome-based models can be easily integrated with your existing measurement setup. Most OBM partners support the tracking platforms you’re already using, whether that’s a SaaS platform like Impact or Partnerize, or a mobile measurement partner (MMP) like Adjust or AppsFlyer.

You’ll also benefit from full-funnel tracking, so you can go beyond the initial conversion and narrow in on metrics like customer value, retention, and downstream revenue.

Enhance Your Current Marketing Without Starting From Scratch

Outcome-based marketing (OBM) is designed to seamlessly complement your existing marketing efforts. Whether you’re running paid social, search, CTV, or reward, additional OBM channels can be integrated alongside these to amplify results and drive stronger, measurable outcomes.

Thanks to performance-based pricing, a broad ecosystem of partners, and flexible channel options, outcome-based marketing empowers marketers to:

• Maximize ROI while maintaining control
• Add new revenue channels with confidence
• Diversify traffic sources to reach fresh audiences
• Optimize for both quality and scale

If you’re ready to expand your customer acquisition toolkit and unlock new growth opportunities, connect with the Outcome Engine team to learn how OBM can elevate your current efforts.