The Ultimate Guide to Marketing Metrics (That Actually Matter): The 5 Categories of Metrics You Need to Understand, Measure, and Act on the Right Data to Grow Your Coaching Business

I want to get something out of the way right off the bat—if you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by all the marketing metrics and numbers in your business—you’re not alone.

You’ve got dashboards, reports, platform insights, maybe even a Google Analytics account you’re afraid to click on. And still, one big question lingers:

“What am I actually supposed to do with all of this?”

It’s easy to believe that more data means better decisions. But here’s the truth:

More data isn’t better. It’s just more—unless you know how to read it and know what action to take.

Most coaches I’ve worked with aren’t short on information. What they’re missing is clarity.

And that’s because a lot of what you’re told to track doesn’t actually tell you what you need to know. Likes, impressions, reach, views—these are what I call vanity metrics. They look nice. They make you feel like something is working. But they don’t always connect to the actual business results you need.

Here’s a quick example:

Let’s say you post a Reel on Instagram that gets 3,000 views. You feel excited—finally, something’s “working!”
But then… no clicks. No sign-ups. No sales.

That’s a vanity metric in action. It gave you attention—but not traction.

Now imagine if instead, you looked at how many people clicked on your lead magnet from your bio. Or how many people booked a call after watching that Reel. That’s what we call a meaningful metric. One that’s tied to movement in your business.

But before we break down each category, let’s get clear on what makes a metric key—and why that key can and should change.

Metrics vs. KPIs: Why “Key” Is a Moving Target

You’ve probably heard that you need to define your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and track them religiously. But here’s the truth:

👉 Not every metric is a KPI.
👉 And not every KPI should stay “key” forever.

Metrics are simply data points—like email open rates, traffic by source, or landing page views.
KPIs are the subset of metrics that signal meaningful progress toward a specific goal.

But here’s where most business owners get tripped up, especially when it comes to marketing metrics:
They pick a handful of KPIs and assume those are the ones they must always track—no matter what stage their business is in, or what their current growth focus is. HubSpot has a great article doing a full breakdown of choosing KPIs if you’d like to read more.

The truth?
Your “key” metric should shift depending on what you’re optimizing.

Think of your KPIs as rotating spotlights that help you focus on the right area of your business at the right time. For example:

• If your biggest issue is low traffic → Your key indicator might be % of organic visitors or branded search queries.
• If traffic is steady but leads are weak → Your key indicator might shift to lead magnet conversion rate or booked call rate.
• If conversions are strong but you’re losing customers → Your key indicator becomes retention or repeat purchase rate.

Your performance indicators should be both leading (early signs of success) and lagging (outcomes you’re aiming for).

The real power is in building a measurement system where:

• You define which metrics are meaningful,
• You identify which are leading vs. lagging for your current goal,
• And you spotlight one or two as “key” at a time—then shift as progress happens.

That’s what turns metrics into momentum.
And it’s what lets you stay strategic—not scattered—as you grow.

This guide is here to help you focus on those kinds of metrics—the ones that matter.

Here’s what I’ll cover:

• Attraction Metrics – Are you bringing in the right people?
• Engagement Metrics – Are they connecting with what you’re saying?
• Conversion Metrics – Are they taking the next step?
• Retention & Loyalty Metrics – Are they sticking around or coming back?
• Revenue & ROI Metrics – Is all this effort actually paying off?

You don’t need to track everything. You don’t need to become a data expert.
You just need a simple way to understand what’s working, what’s not, and what to do next.

So that’s what we’re going to do—together.

Attraction Marketing Metrics – Are you bringing in the right people or just traffic?

Ever felt like you’re doing all the things to get visible—posting, SEO, social—and still the wrong people show up?

You’re not alone. Most coaches spend tons of time driving traffic that never converts—because they’re measuring the wrong signals. That’s why understanding where your traffic comes from (and what that traffic does next) is essential. I cover this in my other article on why more traffic won’t fix your marketing.

My article on vanity metrics also highlights how looking at top-line traffic without context leads to misaligned marketing decisions.

Let’s break down the first part of the combo to help you understand if the traffic you’re attracting is the right kind of traffic to grow your coaching business—Attraction Metrics.

Attraction Metrics at-a-Glance:

What they are: How people are finding you, your offers, your content, etc.

Key examples:

• Traffic by channel (organic, referral, direct, social) and source (Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Google, YouTube, etc.)
• Branded vs. non-branded search terms
• Referral volume from other sites

What they tell you: Whether your visibility efforts are attracting aligned audiences (when coupled with the additional context the engagement, conversion, and retention provides.)

What to do with the data:

• Shift content/channel strategies based on traffic quality – i.e. what traffic is bringing you leads, bookings, and sales.
• Improve SEO or referral partnerships

Engagement Metrics – Do people resonate with your message?

You’ve got eyes on your stuff. But are they just looking—or are they leaning in? Getting traffic is one thing—but holding attention is another.

Engagement metrics help you understand whether your content is actually connecting with the people you’re reaching. You want them thinking about it, clicking through it, replying to it maybe even bingeing it.

They help answer the question: Is your message landing—or losing them?

In my Marketing Metrics for Coaches article, I provide a more detailed break down of what to look for in terms of engagement and other metrics overall.

Let’s dig into the second layer: Engagement Metrics—and what they’re really telling you.

Engagement Metrics at-a-Glance:

What they are: How people interact with your content

Key examples:

• Time on site
• Scroll depth
• Email click-through rates
• Video comments or replies to DMs

What they tell you: Whether your message is landing—or losing people

What to do with the data:

• Adjust messaging, headlines, CTAs to better set expectations and pathways for your best-fit people
• Improve nurture sequences or blog structure to encourage engagement behaviors

Conversion Marketing Metrics – Are visitors becoming leads or buyers?

Visibility and engagement are important—but conversions are where you really start to understand if your strategy is working or not.

This is the moment where interest turns into action. Conversion metrics show whether people are simply browsing or stepping forward into your ecosystem.

Whether they’re opting in, booking a call, or making a purchase—these are the signals that your message, offer, and user experience are aligned with their needs. And if conversions are low, it’s not always a pricing, offer, or content issue. Sometimes it can be tech breakdowns, clarity issues, friction, or positioning or messaging issue.

Setting up a measurable ecosystem makes it easy to identify where the breakdowns happen and go beyond just looking at the conversion results to understand how you’re getting those results.

Let’s take a closer look at the conversion layer of your marketing ecosystem.

Conversion Metrics at-a-Glance:

What they are: How many people take meaningful next steps out of all of the people that saw the page/offer/site.

Key examples:

• Landing page conversion rate
• Email opt-in rate
• Booked calls
• Sales page performance

What they tell you: Where in your journey people are taking action (or getting stuck)

What to do with the data:

• Identify and fix friction points
• Simplify or clarify CTAs
• Test page layouts, form fields, images, subject lines, email content, etc. to improve conversion rates

Retention & Loyalty Metrics – Are clients sticking around or coming back?

Getting the sale isn’t the end of the journey—it’s just the beginning of the relationship.

Retention and loyalty metrics help you measure what happens after the “yes.” Do clients or visitors come back? Stay engaged? Refer others? These signals reveal not just satisfaction—but trust.

And while most marketers obsess over acquisition, the real secret to sustainable growth is in what happens after the sale.

Retention Metrics at-a-Glance:

What they are: How well you keep attention or nurture relationships

Key examples:

• Returning site visitors (if you have a site with regularly published content)
• Repeat purchases
• Email list engagement from past clients
• Referral and testimonial rate
• Returning viewers/subscribers to your YouTube Channel

What they tell you: Whether people trust and want to stay connected to your brand (even if they haven’t opted in!)

What to do with the data:

• Improve onboarding or post-purchase experience
• Create a re-engagement or referral sequence
• Retarget return visitors who aren’t customers with ads (but read this article first.)

Efficiency (Revenue & ROI Marketing) Metrics – Is your marketing driving sustainable growth?

This is where it all comes together.

Traffic, engagement, and conversions might signal activity—but revenue and ROI metrics tell you if your marketing is actually working for your business.

These are the numbers that answer key questions:

• Which channels are profitable?
• What’s the real cost of acquiring a client?
• Is your growth sustainable—or are you just burning cash?

HubSpot’s KPI guide underscores this: tracking revenue per channel, CPA, and LTV helps ensure your marketing decisions are grounded in outcomes—not just effort.

Because if the numbers don’t work, the strategy doesn’t scale.

Let’s dive into the metrics that show whether your marketing machine is built for longevity—or just velocity.

Efficency Metrics at-a-Glance:

What they are: The money side of your marketing

Key examples:

• Revenue per channel
• Cost per acquisition (CPA)
• Customer lifetime value (LTV)
• Revenue from new vs. returning clients

What they tell you: What’s profitable—and what’s draining your resources

What to do with the data:

• Reallocate budget to high-performing channels
• Adjust offers based on LTV
• Know when it’s time to scale vs. optimize

Putting It All Together: Your Marketing Metrics Scorecard – How to track across all five categories without overwhelm

Tracking metrics doesn’t have to mean drowning in data or becoming a full-time analyst. When you connect the dots between visibility, engagement, conversion, retention, and revenue, you stop reacting—and start leading your strategy with insight.

Why your benchmarks should come from your own business—not industry averages

Most industry benchmarks are built from businesses with different goals, models, resource, and maturity levels than yours. Trying to match someone else’s numbers can cause more confusion, comparison traps, and frustration than clarity.

Your metrics only matter in context of your own growth. Instead of aiming for external “success metrics” or “industry standards,” build a baseline from:

• Your last 3–6 months of activity
• What content or offers performed best
• Where the drop-offs or bottlenecks actually are

Then track improvement over time—that’s the most reliable, relevant benchmark you’ve got.

Mini-Lesson: How to Build Your Own Marketing Metrics Scorecard

Here’s a lightweight way to get started. Create a one-page scorecard that includes:

• Attraction – Traffic by marketing channel or specific platform – updated weekly or monthly depending on volume.
• Engagement – (choose one of) email CTR, time on site/page, or DMs/replies – updated weekly or monthly depending on volume.
• Conversion – (choose one of) opt-ins/leads, booked calls, sales – updated weekly or monthly depending on volume.
• Retention – (choose one of) returning users, referral traffic to your site, email opens and engagement, repeat customers – updated weekly or monthly depending on volume.
• Efficiency – profit margins + (choose one of) revenue per channel or return on ad spend – updated monthly or quarterly depending on volume.

You can do this in a spreadsheet, Notion or AirTable tracker, a custom-built dashboard if you have the data digitally. Even sticky notes or a physical whiteboard if that’s more your vibe or you want to build the habit before digitizing.

To take this further you can break it down by stage of the customer journey if you have ways to track that information. (If you don’t, stay tuned because I’ll be releasing a future post on how to do this soon! You can sign up for the newsletter in the form below if you’d like to be informed once it’s out.)

Remember this scorecard isn’t just for tracking. It’s empowering your decision-making so you can shift your focus and energy to the things that are working or tweak the ones you enjoy but aren’t working yet.

Small Habit Shifts = Big Clarity Over Time

You don’t need to track everything, every day. Try these three cadence shifts instead:

• Weekly → Review 1–2 key metrics tied to your current marketing focus. Ask: “What’s moving?”
• Monthly → Choose a new Focus Metric (based on your goal: traffic, leads, conversions, retention, or revenue).
• Quarterly → Optimize one part of your ecosystem—a funnel, offer, nurture sequence, or lead gen channel.

This rhythm keeps things actionable and low-stress—especially if you’re running a lean team or wearing all the hats.

Conclusion: You don’t need more tools—you need better decisions

You already care about showing up with integrity. You’re putting in the work. What you need now isn’t more noise—it’s a simple way to listen to your business.

When you start measuring what actually matters, you gain a calm, confident sense of direction. You stop chasing the next tactic and start building a system that compounds.

Measurement isn’t extra—it’s essential. It’s how you steward your time, energy, and resources toward real growth—on your terms.

Next Step: Build the System That Shows You What’s Working

The Measurable Marketing Ecosystem™ Workshop is where we turn these ideas into action. You’ll get:

✅ A step-by-step system to track what matters (and ignore what doesn’t)
✅ Guidance on choosing the right metrics for your goals and capacity
✅ Live walkthroughs + real-world examples to demystify dashboards and data
✅ Lifetime access to the training and future live rounds—so your system evolves with you

Whether you’re starting from scratch or tired of drowning in dashboards, this is your invitation to build a marketing measurement system that’s clear, calm, and designed around your values.

👉 Join the Workshop and start building a business that listens just as well as it speaks.