It's easy to drown in dashboards. Downloads, visits, sign-ups… numbers that go up and feel good, but don't predict whether the business grows. In PLG, the metrics that matter connect to value.
The ‘aha’ moment and activation
Before optimising paid conversion, identify the moment the user grasps the value. Activation —reaching that moment— is the strongest predictor of retention. If few activate, no acquisition channel will save you.
- Activation: % of users who reach initial value.
- Retention: do they come back? The curve should flatten, not drop to zero.
- Expansion: does usage grow within the account over time?
These three, well instrumented with Segment, Mixpanel or Amplitude, say more about product health than any traffic number.
