Choosing the right traction metrics is essential because they reflect real progress, while vanity metrics can be misleading. A good traction metric should show how a feature contributes to overall customer satisfaction and business goals.

To determine if a metric is valuable, ask: "Can we have a happy user who never does this particular action?" If yes, that metric might be a vanity metric.^[1] For example, a high number of shares on a social media button might look impressive. But, a better metric would be tracking how many users complete a purchase after using a recommendation engine, as this shows the feature’s real impact on revenue.

Focus on outcomes that span multiple features, such as overall conversion rates, which allow users to achieve their goals in their preferred way, ensuring the metrics reflect genuine value and success.