Been tracking MAU religiously but started wondering if we’re just measuring vanity metrics.
Someone logs in once, browses for 30 seconds, then bounces. That counts as active but tells us nothing about whether they actually got value from the product.
What metrics do you layer on top of MAU to understand real engagement?
Track what users do before they convert. Look for patterns like filling out profiles or jumping into main features right after signup. This beats just watching MAU numbers. It shows you who’s actually going to stick around and pay. Then you can focus your marketing on getting more people like that.
Track how often users engage with core features. That’s a better measure than just logging in.
We had the same problem with our language learning app. MAU looked solid but retention sucked.
We started tracking “value actions” - finishing lessons, using the speaking tool, or hitting 3-day streaks. These users stuck around 4x longer than people who just browsed and left.
Now we still check MAU but split it by engagement level. Light users just log in, medium users do one main thing, power users hit multiple features. Only medium and power users actually bring in money.
Product value comes down to behavior patterns, not just visits. When users keep doing specific things, that’s your signal they’re hooked.
This breakdown let us target ads at people who’d likely hit those value actions fast.
Time spent matters more than login frequency honestly.
Track what actually makes you money. See what users do in their first session and week that turns them into paying customers. For most apps, it’s completing setup, using the core feature twice, or hitting a key milestone. Users who do these things convert way better. MAU shows trends but won’t help you optimize anything. Instead, measure how many people finish your activation flow - that’s where you’ll find real value.