We track everything in digital marketing, but what metrics truly matter? Stop staring at vanity numbers and start focusing on data that impacts your bottom line.

1. Are You Confused by Your Own Numbers?

• Do you even have Google Analytics set up correctly? (This is your map. You can’t start a journey without it. Make sure you’re tracking things like bounce rate and time on page.)
• Do you know the difference between ‘Impressions’ and ‘Reach’? (Impressions are how many times your ad could have been seen; Reach is how many people saw it. Understand the basics before you spend.)
• What is your Cost Per Acquisition (CPA)? (This is the most critical number: How much does it cost you in PPC ads, content creation, etc., to gain one paying customer? If your CPA is higher than your profit, you have a problem.)

2. Are You Tracking the Right Things?

• Are you obsessed with how many people visit your blog (Traffic) instead of what they do next (Behavior)? (A website traffic spike is meaningless if they leave after 10 seconds. Focus on time on page and pages per session.)
• Do you have goals set up in your analytics? (A conversion isn’t just a sale. It could be a button click, a video view, or a PDF download. You must tell your analytics tools what a successful action looks like.)
• Are you tracking where your best customers come from? (Is it organic search? Social media? Email? Double down on the digital channels that deliver the highest-value clients.)

3. Are You Making Decisions Based on Feelings?

• Are you arguing about what color button to use? (Stop arguing and start A/B testing! Let the data decide whether the blue button or the red button gets more clicks.)
• How often do you actually review your data? (Once a week? Once a month? Data is only useful if it leads to action. Schedule a consistent time to check your KPIs.)
• Are you using simple data to justify your next budget increase? (Proof of past ROI is the only way to get more budget for future digital strategy investments.)