5.2Marketing KPIs & dashboards
The essentials in 30 seconds
- The right KPIs, not vanity metrics: a good KPI is tied to a goal and actionable (qualified traffic, conversion, CAC, sales).
- The revealing test: "if this number doubles, does it change anything?" — if not, it is a vanity metric.
- 5 to 8 KPIs, one action: a clear dashboard to manage at a glance, with ONE action decided at each review.
Threaded mini-case — Sofia sorts her numbers
With her GA4 reports in hand, Sofia is drowning: followers, views, likes — figures that flatter but guide nothing. This section tells how she discards vanity metrics, keeps 5 to 8 KPIs tied to her goals (qualified traffic, conversion, CAC, sales) in a simple table, and sets a reading ritual where each review ends with ONE action.
Continuing the 5.1 case — Sofia moves from measuring to managing, and continues in 5.3, 5.4 and 5.5.
1. The right KPIs, not vanity metrics
Data is useless without the right KPIs (key performance indicators). The trap is drowning in numbers — “vanity metrics” like follower counts — instead of tracking what matters: qualified traffic, conversion rate, acquisition cost, engagement, sales.
A good KPI is tied to a goal. Sofia goes back to her goals (level 0) and attaches to each 1 to 2 KPIs that truly measure its achievement.
2. A dashboard for deciding
Gathering these indicators in a clear dashboard lets you manage at a glance and decide fast. It links directly to the Power BI guide: centralising your marketing data in a living dashboard turns reporting into a decision tool instead of a monthly chore.
Sofia limits her table to 5 to 8 KPIs maximum (spreadsheet or Power BI) and sets a weekly/monthly reading ritual: at each review, ONE improvement action.
3. The vanity metric test
Test question: “if this number doubles, does it change anything?” If not → probably a vanity metric. Prefer “qualified leads” over “followers”, “conversion rate” over “raw views”.
Effective reporting is concise and decision-oriented: few KPIs, but the right ones — and one action per review.
🔎 Concrete example — The vanity metric test
Actionable?
Question: “if this number doubles, does it change anything?” If not → probably a vanity metric. Prefer “qualified leads” over “followers”.
Lesson: a KPI is actionable and tied to a business goal; the rest flatters the ego without guiding any decision.
Section vocabulary
- KPI
- A key indicator tied to a goal: conversion, CAC, qualified traffic.
Simple example: Sofia tracks her order page conversion rate, tied to her sales goal.
What it is not: tracking 40 numbers nobody reads or acts on.
Reflex: is each tracked KPI tied to a goal?
- Vanity metric
- A flattering but barely actionable number: followers, raw views.
Simple example: Sofia stops celebrating followers who never buy.
What it is not: presenting likes as proof of performance.
Reflex: if this number doubles, what does it change for my business?
- Dashboard
- A concise view of key KPIs to manage at a glance.
Simple example: Sofia centralises 6 KPIs in a living dashboard (Power BI link).
What it is not: a monthly spreadsheet nobody reopens.
Reflex: does my table fit on one screen?
- Conversion rate
- The share of visitors completing the desired action.
Simple example: Sofia sees 2% of her visitors ordering: her most telling KPI.
What it is not: rejoicing over traffic without looking at who acts.
Reflex: what is my conversion rate this month?
- Reporting
- Regularly tracking results, concisely and decision-oriented.
Simple example: Each monthly review of Sofia ends with ONE written action.
What it is not: reporting with no decision piling up.
Reflex: did my last review trigger an action?
In practice — Choosing your KPIs and building a dashboard
- Go back to your goals (level 0): attach 1-2 KPIs to each goal that truly measure its achievement.
- Discard vanity metrics: prefer “qualified leads” over “followers”, “conversion rate” over “raw views”.
- Gather at most 5 to 8 key KPIs in a simple dashboard (spreadsheet or Power BI).
- Set a reading ritual (weekly/monthly) and, at each review, decide ONE improvement action.
Ready-to-say script — framing the KPI review (1 min)
"Here are our 5 to 8 KPIs tied to our goals: qualified traffic, conversion, acquisition cost, sales. I discarded vanity metrics — followers and raw views decide nothing. We read, and we leave with ONE improvement action. Which one do we pick this month?"
Say in a team review; display the table and have the decided action written down.
Copy-paste template — 5-8 KPI dashboard
GOAL 1 → KPIs 1-2: _______________
GOAL 2 → KPIs 3-4: _______________
GOAL 3 → KPIs 5-6: _______________
DISCARDED VANITY METRICS: _______________
READING RITUAL (weekly / monthly): _______________
ACTION DECIDED AT THIS REVIEW: _______________Solo / freelancer
Sofia keeps 5 KPIs on one page: without a team, the monthly ritual + one action is enough to manage.
Small budget
A simple spreadsheet does the job before Power BI: the ritual matters, not the tool.
Sales team
Share the dashboard with sellers: qualified leads and conversion speak to everyone, not likes.
Partner / bank reporting
Present 6 KPIs tied to goals rather than 40 numbers: clarity inspires confidence.
✓ Best practices
- Tie every KPI to a goal.
- Discard vanity metrics.
- Stick to 5-8 KPIs and decide one action per review.
✗ Common pitfalls
- Drowning in too many indicators.
- Tracking vanity metrics (followers, raw views).
- Reporting without drawing any decision from it.
Key takeaways
- Track the right KPIs (tied to goals), not vanity metrics.
- Qualified traffic, conversion, CAC, engagement, sales: the indicators that count.
- A clear dashboard (5-8 KPIs) lets you manage and decide fast.
- Centralise your data: direct link with Power BI.
48h challenge — apply tomorrow
Build your 5-8 KPI dashboard (template above): 1-2 KPIs per goal, vanity metrics discarded in writing. Hold your first review and note the ONE decided action.
- I tell KPIs and vanity metrics apart without hesitating.
- I apply the test question "if it doubles, what does it change?".
- My 5-8 KPI table is ready with a decided action.
Frequently asked questions
How many KPIs should you track?
Few: 5 to 8 indicators genuinely tied to your goals are enough. Too many KPIs drown the essentials and paralyse decisions. Better to closely track a few actionable metrics — knowing which action to trigger when they move — than to stare at 40 numbers nobody reads.
What is the difference between a KPI and a vanity metric?
A KPI is actionable and tied to a business goal (conversion rate, cost per lead, sales). A vanity metric flatters the ego but guides no decision (followers, likes, raw views). Test question: “if this number doubles, does it change anything in my business?” If not, it is probably a vanity metric.
Sofia's monthly report shows 10,000 more followers but flat sales. What should she conclude?