Let's Talk KPI's

What to Track, Who Should Care, and When to Chill

If you've ever googled "which KPIs should I be tracking?" and immediately felt like you were being smacked in the face with acronyms and sales lingo—you’re not alone.

KPIs, or Key Performance Indicators, are one of those marketing terms that sound more intimidating than they need to be. At their core, they’re just a way to measure whether what you’re doing is actually working.

But not every KPI matters to every business. And not every business needs a 25-row dashboard to know what’s working.

Let’s break it down.

What Are KPIs, Really?

KPIs are the metrics that show how well your brand, business, or campaign is performing. They can tell you things like:

• How many people are seeing your content

• Whether your audience is engaging or just scrolling past

• If your emails are getting opened

• Whether your sales are matching your goals

• How long people are staying on your website

But here’s the key: KPIs only matter if they tie back to your actual goals. Numbers without context are just noise.

Different Businesses, Different KPIs

Not every business needs to track the same things. What’s important for a service-based freelancer isn’t the same as what matters to a nonprofit or a product-based brand. Here’s how to approach KPIs based on your business type:

Freelancers & Service Providers

Focus On:

• Lead conversion rate (how many inquiries actually book)

• Client retention rate

• Content engagement rate

• Revenue per client or project

You need to know where your leads are coming from, what’s working to bring them in, and if your time is priced in a way that makes sense.

Tip: Don’t stress about reach or follower count—impact matters more than audience size.

Startups & Small Businesses

Focus On:

• Customer acquisition cost (CAC)

• Website conversion rate

• Average order value

• Email open and click-through rate

You’re likely trying to grow while staying lean. Knowing which marketing activities are driving actual conversions (and which are just draining your budget) is crucial.

Tip: Avoid tunnel vision on social media growth—traffic doesn’t pay the bills, conversions do.

Nonprofits

Focus On:

• Donor conversion rate

• Campaign goal progress

• Email open rate

• Event attendance or volunteer sign-ups

• 
  

You’re probably working with limited resources and specific outcomes like fundraising, community engagement, or education. KPIs help you measure impact and justify funding or grants.

Tip: Storytelling and engagement matter, but knowing how well your message moves people to act is key.

E-Commerce Brands

Focus On:

• Sales conversion rate

• Cart abandonment rate

• Customer lifetime value (CLV)

• Ad return on investment (ROI)

Your success depends on turning browsers into buyers efficiently. These KPIs help you refine that journey and increase repeat purchases.

Tip: Don’t obsess over likes. Your best data lives in your product analytics.

Just Getting Started?

Track less, not more.Pick one or two KPIs tied directly to your current goals—maybe that’s “book more clients” or “build engagement”—and stay consistent with tracking those. You can expand as your business (and data confidence) grows.

Final Pour: Strategy First, Metrics Second

KPIs aren’t here to overwhelm you. They’re just feedback.Use them to check your direction, course-correct when needed, and recognize when something is actually working.

You don’t need to track everything. You just need to track the right things.And if you’re not sure what those are yet? That’s exactly what strategy sessions are for.

Let’s make sure your numbers make sense—and that your time is going where it matters most.