Vanity Metrics vs Real Results
• Written by Kate Shove
The Difference Between Vanity Metrics and Real Results
It is easy to feel good when a post gets lots of likes. But likes alone do not pay the bills. These are called vanity metrics. They look impressive, but they do not always translate into clients or revenue.
Real results are different. They are the actions that directly support your salon. Comments, shares, and saves show deeper engagement. Messages and bookings from social media are even more powerful. These are the numbers you should track, because they tell you if your content is actually working.
For example, you could have a post with 200 likes but no bookings. Compare that to another post with 30 likes but three direct enquiries. Which one delivered real results? The second one.
When you stop chasing vanity metrics, you free yourself from unnecessary pressure. You do not need thousands of likes to grow your salon. You need steady, meaningful interactions with the right people.
The best way to shift your focus is to track simple outcomes. How many clients mention finding you on social? How many people clicked the booking link? How many repeat clients rebooked after seeing a reminder online? These results matter far more than likes.
Three steps you can take now
- Stop focusing only on likes and follower counts.
- Track enquiries, bookings, and rebookings from social.
- Measure success by the business impact, not by the biggest numbers.
Vanity metrics look nice. Real results grow your salon.
