Who This Helps
You're a growth marketer who lives in dashboards. You pull reports, spot trends, and want to act—but your stakeholders ask for more proof. The course Metrics & Dashboards Basics is built for exactly this moment. It helps you turn analysis into approved execution without the guesswork.
Mini Case
Meet Maya. She manages three paid channels and tracks 20 numbers every week. Her boss wants one primary metric that shows real growth. Maya picks "weekly active users from paid" as her North Star. She defines it clearly: users who sign up and complete one key action within 7 days. Then she sets three supporting metrics: cost per acquisition, activation rate, and retention at day 7. Her targets? CPA under $12, activation above 40%, retention above 25%. Within two weeks, her team stops debating which channel is best—they focus on the one that hits all three targets. Stakeholders approve her budget increase because the numbers tell a clear story.
Do This Now (5 Steps)
- Pick your North Star metric. Choose one number that captures the core value your channels deliver. Make sure everyone agrees on the definition.
- Add three supporting metrics. These should explain why the North Star moves. For example: if North Star is revenue, support it with conversion rate, average order value, and traffic source mix.
- Set realistic targets. Use past data or industry benchmarks. Aim for a 10% improvement in 30 days—not a moonshot.
- Build a weekly scoreboard. List your North Star and supporting metrics in a simple table. Add guardrails: if a metric drops below 80% of target, flag it for review.
- Share the scoreboard with stakeholders. Use the same format every week. They'll see progress and trust your recommendations.
Avoid These Traps
- Tracking too many numbers. Stick to four metrics max. More than that and you lose focus.
- Vague definitions. If "active user" means different things to different people, your data is useless.
- Ignoring guardrails. Without alerts, you'll miss early warning signs. Set a rule: if any metric drops 15% week-over-week, pause and investigate.
- Presenting raw data. Stakeholders want insights, not spreadsheets. Lead with the story: "Our CPA dropped 12% because we optimized ad copy."
Your Win by Friday
By the end of this week, you'll have a one-page scoreboard that shows your North Star metric, three supporting metrics, and clear targets. You'll present it to your team and get a decision on next steps—no more waiting for approval. And honestly, it feels pretty good to stop guessing and start moving.