3 As of metrics are something that should be close to every marketer who is serious in hitting those pro numbers instead of looking like a rookie, after all who doesn’t want to achieve the unthinkable results and show the board that you really can do it.
Anyways, let’s stop day dreaming for a bit and focus on what are these 3As.
Anyone can go down the rabbit hole of metrics, but does all of them even matter?
These 3As stand for:
- Actionable
- Accessible
- Auditable
Actionable:
Definition:
It’s no brainer that metrics should be able to provide insights that can lead to clear and effective actions that you can communicate to different teams in your organization. They need to be specific enough to guide decision-making and influence business strategies.
Usage:
Standard metrics are usually okay for small businesses but you need to ensure that the metrics you track can directly lead to informed business decisions.
For instance, if a metric shows a drop in user engagement, you should be able to identify potential causes and take steps to address them. When bounce rate is down, can you find why?
Accessible:
Definition:
Metrics should be easily accessible to those who need them. This means that data should be available in real-time or near real-time and be presented in a user-friendly manner. This also includes making the data accessible and presenting in a format that stakeholders can use insights from.
Usage:
You need to implement dashboards and reporting tools that allow team members to easily access and understand the data. This promotes transparency and ensures that everyone can base their decisions on the same information.
Auditable:
Definition:
Metrics should be reliable and verifiable. This means that the data collection and reporting processes must be transparent and able to withstand scrutiny. What happens if someone want to audit data from the past? the process should be simple.
Usage:
Establish clear technical, data governance policies and procedures to ensure that metrics are collected and reported consistently and accurately. Regular audits should be conducted to verify things like: integrity of the data. accuracy, change, freshness etc.
Top 10 Metrics in Digital Marketing Using the 3 A’s Principle
Conversion Rate:
Actionable: Indicates the effectiveness of marketing efforts in driving desired actions.
Accessible: Available through web analytics tools.
Auditable: Trackable through documented marketing campaigns and user actions.
Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC):
Actionable: Helps optimize marketing spend.
Accessible: Calculated from marketing and sales expenses.
Auditable: Verified through financial records.
Customer Lifetime Value (CLV):
Actionable: Guides retention and upselling strategies.
Accessible: Derived from sales data and customer behavior.
Auditable: Checked against transaction records.
Click-Through Rate (CTR):
Actionable: Measures ad effectiveness.
Accessible: Available in advertising platforms and webmaster search console.
Auditable: Verifiable through ad platform reports.
Bounce Rate:
Actionable: Identifies issues with website content or user experience.
Accessible: Found in web analytics tools.
Auditable: Based on user session data.
Return on Investment (ROI):
Actionable: Evaluates the profitability of marketing campaigns.
Accessible: Calculated from revenue and cost data.
Auditable: Verified through financial reports.
Engagement Rate:
Google Analytics offers this.
Actionable: Measures audience interaction with content.
Accessible: Available on social media and content platforms.
Auditable: Trackable through platform analytics.
Churn Rate:
You can build it inside Google Analytics and other platforms.
Actionable: Indicates customer retention success.
Accessible: Derived from subscription and customer data.
Auditable: Verifiable through customer records.
Net Promoter Score (NPS):
Many top companies including Google and Amazon use this.
Actionable: Measures customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Accessible: Collected through surveys.
Auditable: Verifiable through survey methodology and results.
Traffic Sources:
Actionable: Identifies which channels are driving traffic.
Accessible: Found in web analytics tools.
Auditable: Trackable through referral data and UTM parameters.
5 Key Takeaways of the 3 A’s of Metrics
Guided Decision-Making:
Actionable metrics provide clear guidance on what actions to take to improve performance.
Enhanced Transparency:
Accessible metrics ensure that everyone in the organization can see and understand the data, promoting transparency and collaboration.
Increased Trust:
Auditable metrics build trust in the data, ensuring that decisions are based on reliable and accurate information.
Efficient Resource Allocation:
By focusing on actionable metrics, resources can be allocated more efficiently to areas that will drive the most impact.
Continuous Improvement:
Regularly auditing and reviewing metrics helps identify areas for improvement and ensures that data collection and reporting processes remain robust and effective.
By applying the 3 A’s—Actionable, Accessible, and Auditable—to your metrics, you can ensure that your data is not only reliable and transparent but also directly useful in driving business decisions and strategies.
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