Vanity Metrics
Vanity metrics are figures that look impressive but support no decision, because they are not tied to a business objective. Typical examples on social networks are follower counts as well as view and impression figures with no link to enquiries, sales or job applications.
In practice
Test every metric with a simple question: what would you do differently if this figure rose or fell by half? If the answer is hard to give, the number does not belong in your reporting. For most Austrian SMEs a few downstream figures say more, such as enquiries through the contact form, calls, appointment bookings or job applications that mention the channel. The most common mistake is presenting monthly follower growth to management because it is readily available; that builds expectations around a number nobody can translate into revenue. Keep follower counts as context, never as a target.