What key elements should be in a business analytics dashboard for real insight

Been looking at different analytics dashboards for our app. Some seem cluttered with vanity metrics, others too basic.

Curious what metrics you all focus on for actionable insights. Revenue and retention are obvious, but what else?

Trying to strike a balance between comprehensive and actually useful.

Focus on stuff that moves the needle. User engagement retention and revenue per user. Keep it simple.

From running campaigns, I’ve found these metrics super useful:

Daily/weekly active users - tells you if people actually stick around

ARPU (average revenue per user) - shows if monetization is working

Viral coefficient - tracks organic growth from existing users

Session length and frequency - indicates engagement level

Cost per acquisition by channel - helps allocate ad spend

I’d also add a few qualitative data points like top user complaints and most requested features. Numbers don’t tell the whole story.

Keep it simple at first. Start with 5-7 core metrics and iterate based on what you actually use to make decisions. Too much data just creates noise.

Remember - a good dashboard prompts questions and actions. If you’re not changing anything based on the metrics, they’re probably not the right ones.

Look at user engagement metrics. Time in app, feature usage, and conversion rates. Keep it simple. Just the stuff you actually use to make decisions.

Focus on metrics that drive decisions. Key ones:

  1. User acquisition cost vs lifetime value
  2. Retention by cohort (7, 30, 90 days)
  3. Feature adoption rates
  4. Conversion funnel drop-offs
  5. Revenue per user
  6. Churn reasons (from exit surveys)

Skip vanity metrics like total downloads. Group related KPIs together. Use visualizations sparingly - only for trends that need context.

Make it actionable. Each metric should point to a specific area to optimize. If you can’t tie it to a growth lever, it doesn’t belong on your main dashboard.

I’d focus on these core metrics:

Retention by user segment
Revenue per paying user
Conversion rate at key funnel steps
Customer acquisition cost by channel

Group them logically and include trend lines. The goal is spotting issues fast and knowing where to dig deeper.

Avoid info overload. If a metric doesn’t drive action, it’s just clutter.