Introduction

Most founders know their website analytics: page views, sessions, maybe bounce rate. But here’s the problem: those are vanity metrics.

They tell you what happened, not whether your website is driving business outcomes.

As Product Managers, we measure products with frameworks like AARRR (Acquisition, Activation, Retention, Referral, Revenue). And the truth is: your website is a product too.

When you measure it like a product, you stop obsessing over “traffic up or down” and start focusing on what really matters—user outcomes and growth.

Here’s a PM playbook for measuring your website the right way.

Vanity Metrics vs. Actionable Metrics

Vanity Metrics (surface-level, don’t drive action):

• Page views

• Sessions

• Likes, shares

• Time on site (without context)

Actionable Metrics (outcome-driven, guide decisions):

• Conversion Rate (visitors → leads)

• Activation Rate (leads → meaningful actions)

• Retention (return visitors, repeat sign-ups)

• Revenue (attribution from website)

PM Insight: Vanity metrics = ego. Actionable metrics = growth.

The PM Framework: AARRR for Websites

We apply the Pirate Metrics framework (AARRR) to websites:

1. Acquisition (Who’s finding us?)

• Metric: Unique visitors, channel breakdown (organic, paid, referral).

• PM Question: Which channel brings the right visitors (those who convert)?

2. Activation (Are they experiencing value?)

• Metric: % of visitors who take a meaningful first step (download, sign up, request demo).

• PM Question: Do users understand what we do in 5 seconds?

3. Retention (Do they come back?)

• Metric: Return visitor rate, newsletter open rates, blog repeat visits.

• PM Question: Is our site engaging enough to bring users back?

4. Referral (Do users share us?)

• Metric: Social shares, referral traffic, backlinks.

• PM Question: Are people recommending our site to others?

5. Revenue (Does the site drive business?)

• Metric: Conversions → pipeline → actual revenue.

• PM Question: Is the website moving the business forward?

Treating your website like a product = mapping every metric to one of these 5 levers.

Key Metrics That Actually Matter for Founders

1. Homepage Clarity Score

• Test: Can 3 strangers explain what you do in <5 seconds?

• PM Action: A/B test headlines until clarity is achieved.

1. Conversion Rate (CR)

• Formula: Conversions ÷ Visitors.

• Example: If 1,000 people visit and 30 sign up → CR = 3%.

• PM Action: Improve CTA visibility, simplify forms, add proof.

1. Activation Rate

• Beyond just signing up—did they take the first meaningful action?

• Example: Booked a demo, downloaded a whitepaper, subscribed to newsletter.

1. Bounce Rate by Page

• Instead of average bounce rate, check per-page drop-offs.

• PM Action: If Product page bounce = 70%, rewrite copy for clarity.

1. Time-to-CTA

• How long does it take a user to reach the CTA?

• PM Action: Move CTAs above the fold. Reduce scroll dependency.

1. SEO Traffic Quality

• Not just “organic sessions.” Are they converting?

• PM Action: Double down on content that brings qualified leads.

Example: From Vanity to Value

We worked with a healthtech founder who proudly showed us:

• “20,000 monthly visitors!”

But conversions were <0.5%.

We applied PM-style metrics:

• Acquisition: 80% visitors came from irrelevant keywords.

• Activation: Homepage messaging was jargon-heavy.

• Conversion: CTA was buried.

We fixed messaging, restructured pages, and tracked AARRR metrics. Within 6 weeks:

• Traffic dropped to 12,000 (fewer irrelevant visitors).

• Conversion rate increased 4x.

• Leads grew despite lower traffic.

👉 Lesson: Growth isn’t “more visitors”—it’s “more conversions.”

Tools for Measuring Like a PM

• Google Analytics / GA4 → Traffic & conversions.

• Hotjar / CrazyEgg → Heatmaps & behavior tracking.

• Mixpanel / Amplitude → Funnel & cohort analysis.

• Surveys (Typeform) → Qualitative feedback.

👉 PM Tip: Pair quantitative (data) with qualitative (feedback). Numbers tell you what, users tell you why.

Quick Founder’s Checklist: Am I Measuring Right?

• Do I know my website’s #1 KPI (leads, sign-ups, demos)?

• Am I tracking AARRR metrics, not just traffic?

• Do I measure conversion rates, not just visits?

• Do I run regular A/B tests based on data?

• Do I have feedback loops (surveys, heatmaps) in place?

If you answered “no” to 2 or more, you’re running blind.

Conclusion

A website isn’t about how many people visit—it’s about how many people convert, engage, and return.

When you measure your website like a product—with PM frameworks like AARRR—you stop chasing vanity numbers and start building a growth-ready asset.

At ZoCode.Club, we don’t just design—we measure, iterate, and manage websites like products. That’s why our clients see real growth, not just pretty dashboards.