Send us a textWhy Vanity Metrics Are So TemptingClicks, impressions, and giant top-line numbers feel good—and they’re easy to measure. Anthony explains that brands and agencies often lean on these because they make progress look “sexy” in a deck, even when they don’t connect to business outcomes.The Metrics That Actually MatterKendra presses on what marketers should track instead. Anthony breaks it down by funnel stage and business model:For B2B and lead-gen teams:Lead volume and lead quality
Send us a text
Why Vanity Metrics Are So Tempting
Clicks, impressions, and giant top-line numbers feel good—and they’re easy to measure. Anthony explains that brands and agencies often lean on these because they make progress look “sexy” in a deck, even when they don’t connect to business outcomes.
The Metrics That Actually Matter
Kendra presses on what marketers should track instead. Anthony breaks it down by funnel stage and business model:
For B2B and lead-gen teams:
- Lead volume and lead quality
- Conversion behavior after the click (time on site, page depth, engagement paths)
- Feeding those quality signals back into ad algorithms
For e-commerce:
- Revenue per campaign
- Cost per acquisition (CPA) vs. customer lifetime value (LTV)
- Target CPA thresholds to ensure profitability
Anthony’s bottom line:
The two most important metrics are CPA and LTV—and every other KPI should support them.
When Algorithms Work Against You
A huge chunk of the episode is about how campaigns go sideways when the wrong signals are optimized. If you optimize for clicks, the algorithm finds more clickers—not buyers.
They dig into how metrics aren’t bad—they’re just often misused.
Examples Anthony gives:
- ROAS is critical for shopping/e-commerce conversion campaigns.
- Video view-through rate matters for awareness campaigns, since the goal is warm-audience building.
- Target impression share is valuable in branded search as a defensive move, ensuring competitors don’t steal your brand traffic.
Competitor Bidding: Old Advice vs. Now
Kendra asks about the old-school thinking that bidding on competitor names doesn’t work. Anthony clarifies the difference between:
- Branded defense campaigns (protecting your own name)
- Competitor conquesting campaigns (showing up as an alternative in a buyer’s search)
He argues conquesting can be effective because you only pay on clicks, yet still gain impression value and market-share opportunities.
Balancing Short-Term Pressure with Long-Term Growth
B2B cycles are long, and clients want fast wins. Anthony recommends a full-funnel budget split:
- Some spend for the 1% ready to buy now (lower funnel)
- Significant investment to warm the other 99% (awareness + consideration)
Biggest Lesson Learned: Simplicity Scales
Anthony closes with his core marketing takeaway:
The best campaigns aren’t the busiest—they’re the clearest.
When you focus on the right audience, the right offer, and the right KPIs, everything improves: creative, reporting, and results that compound over time.
If you want to connect with Anthony or learn more about Volo Media, check out the links below. And if you’ve ever been sold a pretty dashboard full of meaningless numbers… this one’s for you.
Connect with Anthony:
Website: https://www.vallomedia.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonychi
Looking to leverage AI? Want better results? Want to think about what you want to leverage?
Check and see how I am using it for FREE on YouTube.
From "Holy cow, it can do that?" to "Wait, how does this work again?" – I've got all your AI curiosities covered. It's the perfect after-podcast snack for your tech-hungry brain.
Watch here
