How to Define Success Metrics for a Product? + 12 Metrics to Track

Wondering how to define product success metrics for a product?

If yes, we’ve got you covered!

In this article, we explain how to identify relevant metrics to measure product success step-by-step. We also introduce 12 analytics metrics you may want to monitor to measure product performance.

Let’s get right to it!

How to define success metrics for a product (Summary)

• Product success metrics are quantitative measures that assess how well a product achieves its objectives and fulfills user needs.
• Monitoring product success metrics is crucial for making data-driven decisions, optimizing user experience, evaluating ROI, aligning product goals with business objectives, and ensuring effective communication between teams.
• To select relevant success metrics, first establish your business goals using frameworks like OKR or SMART.
• Use established frameworks such as North Star, HEART, or AAARRR to consistently measure and track product success across user journey stages.
• Choose a no-code product analytics tool that supports tracking in-app events.
• Data visualization is key for interpreting metrics effectively; custom dashboards can centralize and streamline the monitoring of multiple metrics for better decision-making.
• Using industry benchmarks helps gauge how your product compares to others.
• Acquisition stage metrics, like free trial sign-up rate and customer acquisition cost, assess the effectiveness of strategies to attract and convert new users.
• Activation stage metrics, including time to value and customer activation rate, show how quickly and effectively new users start finding value in the product.
• Product or feature adoption rate and user engagement rate measure how frequently and deeply users integrate the product into their routines.
• Retention stage metrics such as daily or monthly active users and customer retention rate track the continued use of the product. They reflect its ability to maintain user interest and satisfaction over time.
• Referral stage metrics like CSAT or NPS gauge user satisfaction and their likelihood to recommend the product.
• Customer lifetime value and monthly recurring revenue evaluate the financial success and sustainability of the product.
• Want to learn how to track your product success with Userpilot? Book the demo!

What are product success metrics?

Product success metrics are measures used to evaluate how effectively a product meets its goals and satisfies user needs.

They provide insights into various aspects of product performance, user engagement, and business outcomes.

By tracking these metrics, companies can make data-driven decisions to enhance product features, improve user experience, and achieve business objectives.

Why is it important to monitor metrics for product success?

Monitoring metrics for product success is vital as it provides a clear, data-driven understanding of how well a product is performing in the market.

Let me explain:

One of the main reasons for monitoring product metrics is to facilitate informed decision-making.

Metrics offer insights into user behavior and preferences, helping product teams identify what features resonate with users and which ones may require improvement.

Moreover, metrics enable companies to assess the ROI for marketing and development efforts.

For example, by analyzing Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) and Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV), you can measure the efficiency and profitability of their strategies.

Finally, tracking metrics is essential to maintain alignment between product goals and broader business objectives.

For example, metrics like Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) and Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) indicate how well product success correlates with overall business health.

How to define success metrics for a product?

With the basics out of the way, time to roll up the sleeves and define product success metrics for your product. Here’s how to do it, step by step.

1. Identify business goals to determine key performance indicators

To pick relevant metrics to track, first define your business goals. If your main goals revolve around increasing profitability, you’re going to track different metrics from companies that prioritize strengthening their brand.

To set meaningful goals, use a framework like OKR or SMART.

SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound.

Here’s an example of a SMART goal for a SaaS product:

“Increase the monthly recurring revenue (MRR) by 11% by the end of the year.”

When setting overarching goals, involve all key stakeholders to ensure there’s a shared understanding between them.

2. Leverage product metrics frameworks

To consistently measure product success, consider using a metrics framework.

Popular metrics frameworks include:

• The North Star: focuses on identifying a single measure of product success that guides all strategic and tactical initiatives.
• HEART: developed by Google, it groups metrics into 5 categories: Happiness, Engagement, Adoption, Retention, and Task Success.
• AAARRR: also known as Pirate Metrics, it aligns success metrics with different stages of the customer lifecycle: Acquisition, Activation, Adoption, Retention, Revenue, and Referral.

Feel free to use the metrics together: after identifying the North Star metric, you can use HEART or AARRR to select auxiliary or counter metrics that will help you assess the success of individual initiatives or strategies.

3. Use a product analytics tool to monitor success metrics

To track the selected metrics, you need a product analytics tool.

Go for a platform that allows you to track in-app events and feature usage without coding. This will enable even non-technical team members to gather the necessary data without developer help.

Some platforms, like Heap, don’t even require this: they track all events automatically as soon as you install them. While this may be convenient, decide if you need all this data. And consider the cost of storing it all.

4. Visualize metrics regularly for tracking performance

When choosing the analytics tool, consider also its data visualization capabilities.

Why does it matter?

Raw data in tables isn’t easy to digest or interpret, which makes finding trends or patterns challenging.

This changes dramatically when you visualize it as a graph or chart.

Here’s another important feature: custom analytics dashboards.

There are a lot of success metrics to track, so switching back and forth between different reports can be a pain.

Custom dashboards solve the problem. They allow you to view all relevant data in one place. You can create a high-level dashboard with the key metrics as well as dedicated dashboards focusing on specific performance aspects, like adoption or revenue expansion.

5. Benchmark your performance with competitors

If you’re only starting, it’s a good idea to use industry benchmarks to see how your product stacks against similar offerings.

For example, Userpilot’s SaaS Product Metrics Benchmark Report is based on data from 547 SaaS companies and gives you insights into 6 key metrics (activation, time-to-value, retention, core feature adoption, NPS, and onboarding checklist completion).

12 key product success metrics to monitor

So what metrics could you track to measure your product success?

Let’s look at 12 popular ones that most SaaS teams monitor. To keep things organized, I’m following the AAARRR framework.

Acquisition stage metrics

The acquisition is the earliest stage in the user journey. That’s when customers sign up for the product and start using it for the first time.

1. Free trial sign-up rate

The free trial sign-up rate is the percentage of your sign-up page visitors who complete the sign-up process and register for a free trial of your product over a defined period.

This metric provides insight into the effectiveness of your marketing and acquisition strategies and indicates the level of interest in your product. It also measures the efficiency of your sign-up flow.

To calculate the free trial sign-up rate, divide the total number of free trial sign-ups by the number of sign-up page visitors (over a week, month, quarter, etc.) and multiply it by 100.

For example, if 1,000 people visit your sign-up page and 170 of them register for the free trial, the sign-up rate is 17%.

Sign-up rate = (170/1000) x 100 = 17%

2. Customer acquisition cost

Customer acquisition cost (CAC) measures the average cost of acquiring a new customer. This includes all expenses related to marketing and sales efforts over a specific period.

Understanding CAC is vital for assessing the efficiency of your customer acquisition strategy. It helps you determine if the revenue generated from customers is sustainable compared to the costs incurred to acquire them.

To calculate CAC, divide all sales and marketing costs by the total number of new customers acquired over a given period.

So if you spend $10,000 on marketing and sales to acquire 100 customers, your CAC is $100. ​

CAC = $10,000/100 = $100

Activation stage metrics

During the activation stage, new users experience the product value and start using the product to realize their goals.

3. Time to value

TTV measures the amount of time it takes for a new user to realize the value of your product after they sign up. It’s normally expressed as the duration from the initial sign-up to the point where the user achieves a key activation milestone.

A shorter TTV is critical for user satisfaction and retention. The quicker users can find value in your product, the higher the likelihood they convert to paying customers and continue to use the product.

To measure time to value, first determine the activation event. In a social media management tool, this could be scheduling their first post, generating the first engagement report, or both of them.

Next, use your analytics platform to track these events and calculate the average time needed to complete them.

4. Customer activation rate

The customer activation rate measures the percentage of new users who reach the activation milestone.

This metric shows how effectively your onboarding process converts new users into active users who understand your product’s value. High activation rates often correlate with higher customer satisfaction and retention.

To calculate the customer activation rate, divide the number of activated users by the total number of sign-ups in a given period, and multiply it by 100.

So if 1,000 users sign up for the product this month and 666 of them complete the activation events, the activation rate is 66.6%.

Activation rate = (666/1000) x 100 = 66.6%

Adoption stage metrics

Adoption happens when the customer starts using the product habitually to solve their problems.

5. Product/feature adoption rate

The product or feature adoption rate measures the percentage of users who start using a product or feature regularly.

High adoption rates indicate that users find your product or feature valuable and relevant to their needs. This can drive overall product satisfaction and loyalty.

To calculate the adoption rate, first define what adoption means. For example, it could be using the product or feature X times in a week.

Next, divide the number of users who meet the criteria by the total number of users, then multiply by 100.

For example, if 200 out of 1,000 users start using a newly introduced feature, the adoption rate is 20%.

Adoption Rate = (200/1000) × 100 = 20%

6. User engagement rate

User engagement rate measures the frequency and intensity with which users interact with your product.

Engagement is a key indicator of user satisfaction and product value. High engagement rates typically lead to better retention and increased customer lifetime value.

Calculate user engagement by dividing the number of active users in a given timeframe by the total number of users and multiplying by 100.

For instance, if 800 out of 1,000 active users interact with the product in a week, the engagement rate is 80%.

Engagement Rate = (800/1000) × 100 = 80%

Retention stage metrics

Customers enter the retention stage when they fully adopt the product and regularly derive its value.

7. Daily active users/monthly active users

An active user is someone who actively uses the product. Depending on your product, you may monitor the daily, weekly, or monthly active users, or DAUs, WAUs, and MAUs.

Companies also use the DAU/MAU ratio to evaluate product stickiness. A high ratio suggests that users find your product valuable enough to return frequently. This is a strong indicator of user satisfaction.

8. Customer retention rate

Customer retention rate is the percentage of users who continue to use your product over a specified period.

The metric reflects the product’s ability to keep users engaged and satisfied. High retention rates are crucial for sustainable growth and profitability. That’s because retaining existing customers is more cost-effective than acquiring new ones.

To calculate the customer retention rate, deduct the number of new customers during the period from the total number of customers at the end of the period. Next, divide this by the number of customers at the start of the period, and multiply by 100.

If you start with 1,000 customers, acquire 300 new ones, and end up with 1,200 at the end of the period, the retention rate is 90%.

Retention Rate = ((1,200 − 300)/1,000) × 100 = 90%

Referral stage metrics

At the referral stage, users aren’t just loyal product customers. They turn into product advocates and promote the product in their social and professional circles. And by doing so, they lower your customer acquisition costs.

9. Customer satisfaction score

The customer satisfaction score (CSAT) measures how satisfied users are with specific aspects of your product or service. It usually involves asking customers to rate their satisfaction on a scale, often from 1 to 5.

CSAT provides direct feedback on user satisfaction and helps identify areas for improvement. It’s a quick and straightforward way to gauge customer sentiment and overall product satisfaction.

To calculate CSAT, divide the number of satisfied responses (typically 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale) by the total number of responses, and multiply by 100.

For instance, if you have 400 satisfied responses out of 500 total responses, your CSAT is 80%.

CSAT = (400/500) × 100 = 80%

10. Net Promoter Score

Net Promoter Score (NPS) measures the likelihood that users will recommend your product to others. Based on their survey responses, it classifies respondents into promoters (1-6 on a 10-point scale), passives (7-8), and detractors (9-10).

NPS is a strong indicator of customer loyalty and satisfaction. It also helps identify opportunities to improve the user experience and add value to the product.

To calculate NPS, deduct the percentage of detractors from the percentage of promoters.

So, if 60% of respondents are promoters and 20% are detractors, your NPS is 40.

Revenue stage metrics

The revenue stage is when the user either converts to a paying customer or upgrades to a higher plan. Your ability to get users to this stage determines the long-term product success.

11. Customer lifetime value

Customer lifetime value (LTV) estimates the total average revenue a business can expect from a single customer throughout their relationship with the company.

LTV is particularly important in the context of CAC. It helps teams make informed decisions about customer acquisition and retention strategies by showing how the revenue from customers compares to the cost of acquiring them.

Calculate LTV by multiplying the average purchase value with the average purchase frequency. That’s how you get the customer value. Next, multiply it by the average customer lifespan.

So if an average user customer pays $249 a month and they do it over 5 years, their lifetime value is $14,900.

LTV = $249 x 12 x 5 = $14,900.

12. Monthly recurring revenue

Monthly recurring revenue (MRR) is the predictable income that your business generates from subscriptions each month.

The metric is crucial for forecasting revenue, budgeting, and understanding the financial health of SaaS businesses.

To calculate MRR, multiply the average revenue per user (ARPU) by the total number of paying accounts in a month.

For example, if you have 100 paying customers and each pays an average of $249 per month, your MRR is $24,900.

MRR = $249 x 100= $24,900

Conclusion

Product success metrics allow product teams to monitor the overall product performance and assess how well it drives high-level organizational growth.

They also help them spot risks early and identify opportunities for improvement, which translates into higher customer satisfaction and retention.

If you’d like to learn how to define (and improve) success metrics for your product with Userpilot, book the demo!