Choosing success metrics that matter

Metrics vary with the goal behind a marketing strategy. If the aim is growth, marketers often track customer acquisition cost, number of sign-ups, or conversion rates. When the focus shifts to retention, metrics like churn rate, customer lifetime value, or net promoter score become more relevant. For awareness goals, impressions, reach, and brand recall are stronger signals, even if they do not immediately tie to revenue. Each set of metrics reflects the type of impact the strategy is designed to achieve.

Consider Spotify as an example. In its early years, growth was the main priority, so metrics like user acquisition and app downloads mattered most. As the platform matured, retention became central, making churn rate, hours streamed, and customer lifetime value more important to track. More recently, with podcasts as a strategic bet, engagement metrics such as completion rates and time spent per session became key. This shift shows how strategy determines what is worth measuring.