Actionable Metric

A metric that ties to a specific action and can guide a decision, like activation rate by signup source, as opposed to a vanity metric.

Why it matters

Actionable metrics are the ones worth building a business on because they change what you do next. Picking the few that matter, and ignoring the flattering rest, is what keeps a team focused.

For example

Instead of tracking total signups, the team tracks activation rate by signup source, an actionable metric that tells them which channels to double down on.

Worth your time

Related terms

Go deeper

See how founders actually handle this on Money, pricing and metrics, part of the Starting Up hub.

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