Building in public is one of the most effective marketing strategies for SaaS founders. But sharing the wrong metrics can backfire spectacularly—making you look desperate, disconnected, or unsophisticated. Here's what to share, what to avoid, and how to frame it.
Metrics That Resonate
These metrics consistently generate engagement and attract the right attention:
- MRR milestones: The $0 → $1K → $5K → $10K journey is endlessly compelling. Each milestone tells a story and invites others to follow along.
- Customer count: "Just crossed 100 paying users" hits differently than revenue alone. It shows real humans find value in what you've built.
- Churn improvements: "Reduced churn from 8% to 3%—here's what we changed" demonstrates that you're learning and improving.
- Feature adoption rates: "Our new feature hit 70% adoption in the first week" suggests product-market fit and customer engagement.
- Conversion rate changes: "Rewrote our landing page and increased signups by 40%" teaches something actionable.
Metrics to Avoid
Some metrics hurt more than they help:
- Vanity metrics: Page views, social followers, app downloads without context. These are easily gamed and sophisticated audiences see through them.
- Incomplete data: "10,000 signups!" means nothing without conversion rates, retention, or revenue context.
- Desperation signals: Metrics that reveal you're struggling without a clear lesson or turnaround story attached.
- Competitor comparisons: These often backfire and make you look petty or insecure.
The Story Format
Numbers alone are boring. Raw data gets scrolled past. The magic happens when you wrap metrics in stories:
- Before/After: "We hit $5K MRR. Six months ago we were at $400. Here's the one change that got us there."
- Failure + Lesson: "Our churn was 12% last quarter. Here's what we changed and why it's now 4%."
- Behind the Number: "100 paying customers. But more importantly, here's what they all have in common."
Data + narrative = content that converts. The story is what makes the metric memorable and shareable.
Frequency and Tone
Don't share metrics too frequently or it becomes noise. Monthly updates work well—enough to show momentum without overwhelming your audience.
Tone matters too. Celebrate wins without arrogance. Acknowledge struggles without self-pity. The founders who build in public effectively share both ups and downs with the same level-headed authenticity.