Which metrics and benchmarks matter across platforms (CTR, CVR, save rate, open rate, listener-to-stream ratio) and how do I track them?
TL;DR - Treat every release like a data loop: tag every link, pipe every platform’s numbers into one Monday-morning dashboard, and grade each metric against green / yellow / red benchmarks so you know exactly when to scale, tweak, or pause.
1 │ Cross-Platform Scorecard — Benchmarks That Matter
Awareness → Click
Platforms: Meta, TikTok, Google Ads
Metric: CTR = Clicks ÷ Impressions
Green ≥ 1.5 % | Yellow 0.7–1.49 % | Red < 0.7 %
Pull from: Ads Manager export or smart-link analytics
Click → Destination
Platform: Linkfire or ToneDen
Metric: CVR = Outbound Clicks ÷ Link Clicks
Green ≥ 65 % | Yellow 40–64 % | Red < 40 %
Pull from: link-in-bio dashboard
Discovery → Commitment
Platform: Spotify
Metric: Save-to-Stream = Saves ÷ Streams
Green ≥ 12 % | Yellow 6–11 % | Red < 6 %
Pull from: Spotify for Artists CSV
Repeat Listening
Platform: Spotify
Metric: Listener-to-Stream = Streams ÷ Listeners
Green ≥ 1.8x | Yellow 1.3–1.79x | Red < 1.3x
Pull from: same export, divide
Inbox Reach
Platform: Email ESP
Metric: Open Rate = Opens ÷ Delivered
Green ≥ 35 % | Yellow 20–34 % | Red < 20 %
Pull from: Mailchimp or ConvertKit dashboard
Inbox Action
Platform: Email
Metric: CTR = Clicks ÷ Opens
Green ≥ 8 % | Yellow 4–7 % | Red < 4 %
Pull from: ESP dashboard
Community Stickiness
Platform: Discord
Metric: DAU ÷ MAU
Green ≥ 40 % | Yellow 25–39 % | Red < 25 %
Pull from: Server → Insights
Social Shareability
Platform: TikTok
Metric: Sound-Save % = Sound Saves ÷ Views
Green ≥ 12 % | Yellow 6–11 % | Red < 6 %
Pull from: TikTok Analytics
Checkout
Platform: Shopify or Bandcamp
Metric: E-comm CVR = Orders ÷ Sessions
Green ≥ 2.5 % | Yellow 1.2–2.49 % | Red < 1.2 %
Pull from: GA4 or platform report
Quick diagnosis
CTR green but Save-to-Stream red → ad creative is fine, song intro or mix isn’t landing
CTR red → swap thumbnail, headline, or first 3 second hook
2 │ 5 Step Tracking Stack (Zero Code)
Tag everything - add UTM to every link (utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=reel_ad).
Automate exports - Zapier or Make to dump Spotify, ESP, Ads, and Shopify into one Google Sheet every Monday 08:00.
Build a Looker Studio dashboard - connect the Sheet, GA4, Shopify; color code green / yellow / red.
Weekly traffic light review - Monday stand up: Green scale, Yellow A/B creative or targeting, Red pause and fix.
48 hour rapid checks - in the first two days, eyeball CTR, Save-to-Stream, and Sound Saves daily; small early tweaks compound.
3 │ Common Pitfalls & Fast Fixes
Vanity metrics focus → likes and follows aren’t revenue → track saves, sign ups, and sales instead
Siloed dashboards → can’t see funnel leaks → consolidate into one Sheet and one dashboard
Paid + organic mixed → blurry ROI → separate with utm_medium=paid vs utm_medium=organic
Email list bloat → open rate tanks deliverability → prune cold subscribers every 90 days
No date windows → seasonality skews read → compare rolling 28 day periods
Key Takeaways
Single source of truth - one Sheet plus one Looker dashboard
Traffic light bands - instant scale / tweak / stop clarity
Link tagging is non negotiable - no UTM, no insight
Act fast, iterate weekly - small changes in week one snowball into big lifts in streams, saves, and sales