Vanity metrics
Numbers that look impressive but don't map to business outcomes — follower count, total likes, raw impressions.
Vanity metrics are figures that feel good and signal little: follower count, cumulative likes, raw impressions. They tend to only go up, which makes them comforting and nearly useless for decisions.
The fix isn't to ignore all numbers — it's to favour actionable ones that map to outcomes: engagement rate, click-through rate, saves, and conversion rate. Follower count is the classic example of a number that flatters without informing.
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