Subscribers Count: A Vanity Metric or a Measure of Engagement?

As content creators on the internet, we often rely on metrics to gauge our success. Numbers have become a universal language for measuring performance, and it’s natural for us to adopt them as our own metrics. However, sometimes these numbers can be deceptive and lead us astray.

These misleading numbers are what we call vanity metrics. Some vanity metrics, like YouTube subscribers, Twitter followers, or Facebook likes, are public by default. We use them to compare ourselves with others and allow others to do the same. On the other hand, some metrics, like email subscribers, are private but still serve as a measure of our self-worth.

For instance, let’s consider the example of James Clear, who boasts millions of email subscribers. Does having 100 email subscribers make someone 10,000 times less worthy? Of course not. However, it might make them 10,000 times less known, less successful in economic terms, and with fewer opportunities.

These metrics, whether public or private, tend to overestimate their impact. We’ve all seen YouTube channels with hundreds of thousands of subscribers, but their videos receive just a fraction of those views. Similarly, Twitter accounts with a substantial following might have very limited engagement with their tweets.

The key here is not the total number of subscribers, but the percentage of that number that actively engages with your content. Unfortunately, social media platforms like Twitter and YouTube offer limited data on engagement. However, with email newsletters, you have the advantage of open rates. By tracking who opens your emails, you can identify those who genuinely engage with your content.

At some point, it becomes essential to focus on the subscribers who consistently open your emails rather than the total subscriber count. Sending emails to people who don’t open them is pointless. So instead of fixating on 10,000 email subscribers, it’s the 3,000 or 4,000 who actively open and engage with your emails that truly matter. They represent your engaged audience, the ones who have shown interest in your content in the past six months or so.

In conclusion, while subscriber counts may seem like important metrics, they can be misleading vanity metrics. What truly matters is the level of engagement and interaction you receive from your audience. By focusing on those who actively engage with your content, you can better understand your true reach and impact.