Chasing Vanity Metrics: Why Your Likes Aren’t Paying the Bills

Let’s get real for a sec.

You post something on Instagram or launch a new ad… and the numbers go up.
Hearts. Views. Impressions.
It feels good. Like, “Wow, people are seeing us!”

But then you check your bank account.
🦗
Nothing changed. Sales are still flat. Leads are still cold.

Welcome to the Vanity Metric Trap.
You’re not alone—but it’s time to get out of it.

🚩 What Are Vanity Metrics?

Vanity metrics are the feel-good numbers that look impressive but don’t actually tell you if your marketing is making money.

Examples:

• Likes 👍
• Views 👀
• Followers 📈
• Impressions 🚀

Do they matter? Kinda.
Do they pay the bills? Nope.

You can’t deposit Instagram likes into your business account. (Sadly. We checked.)

🔍 The Real Question:

Are these numbers leading to leads, calls, or customers?

Because if not, they’re just noise.

✅ Quick Fix #1: Ask for the Right Metrics Each Month

Once a month—literally mark it in your calendar—ask your marketing person or team:

• How many leads did we get this month?
• How many sales came from our campaigns?
• What’s our cost per lead/sale?
• What campaign had the best ROI?

Don’t settle for “We reached 12,000 people.”
Great. Did any of them do anything?

✅ Quick Fix #2: Check the Money Trail

Go into your:

• Google Analytics
• Facebook Ads Manager
• CRM (like HubSpot, Mailchimp, etc.)

Ask:
→ Can I trace this campaign to a form fill, a purchase, or a booked call?
→ Do I know how much each result cost?

If the answer is no—you’re not tracking marketing. You’re just guessing.

🧠 Bonus Mindset Shift: You Don’t Need a Ton of Attention. You Need the Right Attention.

One solid lead from a highly targeted ad is worth more than 10,000 random video views from people who will never buy.

Stop thinking bigger.
Start thinking better.

🚀 TL;DR: Don’t Be Seduced by the Shiny Numbers

Likes and views are fun, but they don’t keep the lights on.
If you’re serious about growing your business, focus on:

• Leads generated
• Sales made
• Cost per result
• Return on ad spend

Track those. Celebrate those. Repeat those.

Need Help Digging into the Real Metrics?

If you want someone to look at your dashboards with fresh eyes and show you where the money’s hiding—I’m here for that.

📅 [Book a No-Fluff Marketing Review]
Let’s stop chasing likes and start chasing results.