The Marketing Metrics That Actually Matter: No, It's Not Likes

When it comes to marketing, it’s easy to feel like you should be tracking everything. Every number. Every chart. Every dashboard. *Sighs in overwhelming dread*

But for small businesses, more data doesn’t always mean better decisions.

The goal of marketing analytics isn’t to impress yourself with spreadsheets — it’s to understand what’s working, what isn’t, and where to focus your energy next without getting stuck in analysis paralysis. Which is the WORST. Ask me how I know....

Let’s break down the metrics.

Start With Conversions (Not Vanity Metrics)

he most important question your marketing should answer is simple:

Is this turning into real business?

Conversion metrics tell you that.

Depending on your business, a “conversion” might look like:

• A contact form submission

• A phone call

• An online purchase

• A booking request

• A newsletter signup

Key conversion-focused metrics to watch:

• Conversion rate (how many visitors take action)

• Cost per conversion (especially with ads)

• Traffic source tied to conversions (where leads are coming from)
  

Likes, follows, and views can be helpful indicators, but they don’t pay the bills. Conversions do.

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Website Analytics: Quality Over Quantity

A high volume of traffic doesn’t automatically mean success.

What matters more is how people behave once they arrive.

Helpful website metrics include:

• Pages per session

• Time on page

• Bounce rate (with context; not panic)

• Conversion paths (what pages people visit before converting)

If your traffic is lower but your conversion rate is strong, you’re doing something right.

Social Media Metrics That Don't Lie

Social media can easily become a numbers trap... In fact, this is why I am writing this. If you look at our social follower count, it isn't the highest, and we KNOW THAT, and DON'T CARE. More followers don’t always mean more customers- visibility is good, but we want to attract the right audience, not just any audience.

Instead of obsessing over growth alone, look at:

• Link clicks

• Profile visits

• Direct messages

• Saves and shares

• Traffic driven to your website

Social media works best as a relationship and visibility tool — not every post is meant to convert directly, and that’s okay. Your posts should have independent goals, are they meant for visibility, for conversion, or storytelling? Each one should have an intention, but I will get to that on another post. Sorry, I can go down a rabbit hole quick!

Paid Ads: Track What Costs You Money!

If you’re running ads, analytics become non-negotiable.

Key ad metrics to focus on:

• Cost per click (CPC)

• Cost per conversion

• Click-through rate (CTR)

• Conversion quality (are the leads actually usable?)

Ads should support your business goals, not drain your budget while looking good on paper.

Not All Marketing Looks the Same

This is important: there is no universal set of “perfect” metrics.

A local service business, an e-commerce shop, and a creative brand will all measure success differently.

What matters is aligning your analytics with:

• Your business goals

• Your sales process

• Your customer journey

The right metrics are the ones that help you make decisions; not the ones everyone else is tracking.

Avoiding Analysis Paralysis

Data is meant to guide action, not stall it.

If you find yourself constantly checking numbers without changing anything, it’s time to simplify.

A good rule of thumb:

• Pick a small set of core metrics

• Review them consistently

• Make one adjustment at a time

• Measure again

Progress comes from movement, not perfection.

The Bottom Line

Analytics should make marketing clearer, NOT more overwhelming.

Focus on conversions, understand where your leads come from, and remember that effective marketing looks different for every business.

Track what matters. Ignore what doesn’t. And don’t let data stop you from moving forward.