7 Metrics You’re Not Tracking But Should Be

Growing a business online isn’t just about throwing up a website and hoping for the best. It’s about understanding what works, what doesn’t, and why. Small businesses often focus on the obvious — page views, likes, or sales — but miss the deeper signals that reveal how customers truly interact with their brand. Let’s outline seven under-the-radar metrics that can transform how you build your website, promote your business, and boost sales. These insights will help you attract clients, sell online, and grow sustainably.

Unlock the Power of Hidden Data

Every click, share, or comment on your website and social channels tells a story. But most businesses stick to surface-level numbers, like total visitors or followers. The real magic lies in metrics that reveal why people engage with your brand — or don’t. By tracking these overlooked signals, you can fine-tune your website and marketing to resonate with your audience, turning casual browsers into loyal customers.

1. Decode Audience Sentiment Analysis

Imagine launching a sleek new website for your artisanal candle business, only to find customers grumbling in the comments about confusing navigation. That’s where audience sentiment analysis comes in. This metric dives into the emotions behind what people say about your brand online — in comments, reviews, or even DMs. Are they excited? Frustrated? Indifferent? By reading the tone of their words, you can spot pain points or unexpected wins.

For example, picture a small brewery rolling out a new IPA. Their Instagram post gets plenty of likes, but digging into comments reveals fans raving about the flavor while some complain about the price. That’s a signal to adjust pricing or highlight value in future posts. Sentiment analysis helps you pivot before a minor issue becomes a dealbreaker, ensuring your website and campaigns align with what your audience loves.

How to track

To track sentiment, manually review comments and messages across your social platforms and website. Look for recurring themes — praise, complaints, or questions. For automated insights, try tools like Brandwatch, which scans social media and reviews to classify sentiments as positive, negative, or neutral, or Brand24, which monitors online mentions and uses AI to analyze sentiment trends across platforms. 

These tools save time and catch nuances, helping you pivot before a minor issue grows, ensuring your website and campaigns align with what your audience loves.

2. Track Click-Through Rates 

Your website’s call-to-action buttons — “Shop Now,” “Book a Consult,” or “Join the Waitlist” — are your direct invitation to engage. But how often are people actually clicking them? Click-through rate tracking measures how many visitors act on your prompts, revealing whether your messaging and design hit the mark.

Think of a boutique travel agency promoting custom hiking tours. Their homepage has a bold “Plan Your Adventure” button, but only 2% of visitors click it. Low CTR could point to vague copy, an uninspiring button design, or even a slow-loading page. By tweaking these elements — maybe swapping to “Start Your Epic Journey” with a vibrant color — you can boost clicks and guide more visitors toward booking. Tracking CTR across your site and ads ensures every element pulls its weight.

How to track

To track CTR, start with your website’s analytics platform, like Google Analytics. Set up event tracking for each button to see how many clicks it gets compared to total page views. For example, if 100 people visit your homepage and 5 click “Shop Now,” your CTR is 5%. For ads, use platforms like Meta Ads Manager to monitor CTR on your campaigns. Check which pages or ads have low CTRs, then experiment with changes — sharper headlines, bolder visuals, or faster load times. Regular tracking ensures every element on your site works to pull visitors closer to a sale.

3. Uncover Dark Social

Ever shared a funny meme with a friend via WhatsApp or emailed a cool article to a colleague? That’s dark social — content shared through private channels like messaging apps, texts, or emails, invisible to most analytics tools. For small businesses, these hidden shares are gold. They show your content resonating so deeply that people pass it along personally.

Consider a quirky online stationery shop. A customer loves their neon-colored planners and shares a product link in a group chat. That’s dark social at work. By adding trackable links or unique referral codes to your site, you can start measuring these shares. 

How to track

To track it, create unique URLs for your content using tools like Bitly. Add these links to your website, social media posts, or email campaigns. When someone shares them privately, you’ll see clicks in your link analytics, even if they come from a private source. You can also add “Share This” buttons to your site with WhatsApp or email options to encourage private sharing. 

Monitoring dark social reveals which products or posts spark organic buzz, letting you lean into what’s already winning hearts.

Drive Sales with Smarter Social Metrics

Social media isn’t just for posting pretty pictures — it’s a powerhouse for driving sales when you track the right metrics. For businesses with tight budgets, every post needs to work hard. These metrics help you focus on what turns likes into revenue.

4. Measure Social Media Conversion Rates

Posting on Instagram or TikTok feels great, but are those posts actually leading to sales? Social media conversion rate tracks how many people go from seeing your post to taking action — like buying a product or signing up for your newsletter. This metric cuts through the vanity of likes and focuses on real business outcomes.

Imagine a freelance graphic designer sharing a portfolio reel on Instagram. It gets tons of views, but only a few people click through to book a consultation. By analyzing conversion rates, they might realize their bio link is buried or their call-to-action is weak. A tweak — like adding “Book Your Design Now” with a direct link — could double their bookings. 

How to track

To track conversion rates, link your social posts to specific landing pages on your website and use Google Analytics to monitor actions like form submissions or purchases. For example, if 1,000 people see your post and 20 buy, your conversion rate is 2%. Check your social platform’s ad manager for campaign-specific data. If conversions are low, tweak your call-to-action — like adding “Book Your Design Now” with a direct link — or simplify your landing page. 

5. Compare Post Reach vs. Engagement

Not all eyeballs are equal. Post reach vs engagement compares how many people see your content (reach) to how many interact with it (engagement, like likes, comments, or shares). High reach with low engagement signals your content isn’t clicking, while the reverse shows a small but passionate audience.

Picture a sustainable clothing brand posting about their new linen jackets. The post reaches 10,000 people but gets only 50 likes. That’s a sign the content isn’t sparking interest — maybe the visuals are bland or the caption doesn’t tell a story. By contrast, a post with 1,000 views but 200 comments suggests a highly engaged niche. Use this metric to craft content that not only reaches people but pulls them in, building a community that converts. 

How to track

Use your social platform’s insights tab to compare reach and engagement for each post. On Instagram, for instance, you’ll see “Accounts Reached” versus “Likes, Comments, Shares.” Calculate engagement rate by dividing interactions by reach (e.g., 50 interactions ÷ 10,000 reach = 0.5%). Test new content styles — storytelling, humor, or videos — to boost engagement. This metric helps you craft posts that not only reach people but pull them in, building a community that converts.

Optimize Ad Spend for Maximum Impact

Ads can be a game-changer for small businesses, but only if you’re spending wisely. Tracking the right metrics ensures your ad dollars deliver real returns, letting you stretch your budget further.

6. Nail Good ROAS for Facebook Ads

Running Facebook ads without tracking good ROAS for Facebook ads is like tossing money into a wishing well. Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) measures how much revenue you earn for every dollar spent on ads. A strong ROAS means your ads are working; a weak one means you’re burning cash.

Take a small online tutoring service. They spend $100 on a Facebook ad for SAT prep courses and earn $400 in bookings. That’s a 4:1 ROAS — solid, but could it be better? By tweaking ad visuals or targeting a more specific audience (say, high school juniors in urban areas), they might push that to 6:1. 

How to track

Use Meta Ads Manager to monitor ad spend and revenue from conversions. Set up conversion tracking on your website to capture purchases or sign-ups tied to the ad. If your ROAS is low, experiment with narrower audiences (e.g., high school juniors in urban areas) or sharper ad copy. Regular checks help you spot which ads deliver and which need a rethink, maximizing every cent.

7. Calculate Customer Lifetime Value from Campaigns

A one-time sale is nice, but loyal customers are the backbone of growth. Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) from campaigns tracks the total revenue a customer generates over time after clicking an ad or visiting your site from a specific campaign. This metric shows which efforts bring in high-value clients.

Imagine an eco-friendly cleaning service running a Google ad. A customer signs up for a one-time deep clean but then books monthly services for a year. That’s high CLV, proving the ad’s worth beyond the initial sale. By focusing on campaigns that attract repeat buyers — maybe by offering loyalty discounts or targeting eco-conscious neighborhoods — you can build a customer base that keeps coming back.

How to track

Tag customers from each campaign using unique promo codes or landing pages. Use your CRM or a simple spreadsheet to record their purchases over time. For example, if a customer spends $1,200 annually after a $100 ad, their CLV far outweighs the cost.

Put These Metrics to Work

Now that you know the metrics, it’s time to make them work for your business. Here’s how to start:

• Set up tracking tools. Use your website’s analytics dashboard to monitor CTR and conversions. Platforms like Google Analytics or Meta’s ad manager are free and user-friendly.

• Listen to your audience. Check comments and messages regularly to gauge sentiment. Look for patterns in what excites or frustrates your customers.

• Experiment with content. Test different post styles to boost engagement over reach. Try storytelling, humor, or behind-the-scenes glimpses to see what resonates.

• Track dark social with links. Use shortened, trackable URLs for your content to capture shares in private channels.

• Review ad performance weekly. Check ROAS and CLV to spot winning campaigns and cut underperformers.

• Iterate and improve. Use these metrics to refine your website, ads, and posts. Small tweaks based on data can lead to big wins.

By weaving these seven metrics into your daily operations, you’ll build a website and marketing plan that doesn’t just attract clicks but drives real growth. Start small, track consistently, and watch your business thrive online.