When the Numbers Don’t Add Up: What Vanity Metrics Miss About Real Growth

I just became a grandmother.

And like any new parent or grandparent, one of the first milestones we celebrate is when the baby gains back that precious birthweight. Those few ounces mean everything, proof that this tiny soul is growing, thriving, and doing exactly what it should.

A few days later, I was checking the school’s social media numbers, likes, views, reach, and it struck me: we react to those numbers in the exact same way.

We all love to see growth — but are we measuring it the right way?

When the baby’s weight goes up, we feel pure joy.

When our own numbers go up, on a scale or on social media, it doesn’t always feel the same. Sometimes the increase means progress. Sometimes it means bloat.

That’s when I realized: we often celebrate what’s easy to measure, even when it doesn’t tell the whole story.

Because a rising number isn’t always healthy, and a lower one isn’t always a loss.

The truth lies in what those numbers mean.

The Highs and Lows of the Feed

We all do it.

You post, refresh, and check: how many likes? How many views? How many new followers?

It’s not vanity. It’s human. Those numbers give us a quick moment of validation, a tiny signal that says, “You’re doing something right.”

But not all growth is the kind that builds something lasting.

A baby’s weight gain means nourishment and health.

But when our digital “weight” goes up —more likes, more followers, more views —it doesn’t always mean our community is thriving.

We can have high reach and low connection.

Lots of followers, but few real relationships.

Posts that perform, but don’t transform.

Vanity Metrics: The Numbers That Flatter, Not Build

Likes, views, and follows are easy to measure, and even easier to mistake for meaning. They make us feel seen, but they don’t always show whether our message mattered.

For Jewish organizations, this distinction is crucial.

Our goal isn’t to be seen; it’s to be understood, valued, and remembered. And that kind of growth doesn’t always show up in the most considerable numbers.

The Metrics That Actually Mean Something

If you really want to know whether your content is doing its job, inspiring, connecting, and strengthening your community, these are the numbers to pay attention to:

1. Saves: People don’t save what they scroll past. A save means, “This spoke to me, I want to come back to it.” That’s value and trust.

2. Shares: A share says, “This represents me.” It’s not just engagement,  it’s belonging. Your community is saying, “This is who we are.”

3. Comments and Conversations: It’s easy to double-tap. It takes effort to comment. Comments show interest, but when someone takes the time to write, “Thank you for hosting this event,” or “This brought back such good memories,” that’s gold. It means your content touched someone enough to make them pause, remember, and connect. That’s not vanity, that’s impact. 

4. Clicks and Profile Visits: A view is passive. A visit is intentional. When someone clicks your bio, explores your page, or registers for an event, it means they’re curious enough to take the next step. That’s the connection in motion.

5. Retention: Views are easy to get, but retention tells the real story. It’s not just how many people watched; it’s how long they cared enough to keep watching.

If a reel gets 1,000 views but people swipe away after three seconds, the message didn’t land. But if 100 people watch all the way through, to see who came, what you did, and how it felt, that’s impact. That means your story held their attention, and more importantly, their heart.

6. Offline Impact: And the metric that matters most is not even seen in the numbers on the Instagram app, what happens beyond. When families show up at an event because of a post, when someone mentions your reel in conversation, when they say, “I saw your video and it really moved me.” That’s data, too, and it’s the most meaningful kind of growth there is.

Views Aren’t Everything 

Views are like footprints in the sand. Proof that someone passed by, not that they stayed. They can tell you reach, but not resonance.

A post with 500 views and 10 saves can have far greater impact than one with 10,000 views and no engagement.

Because at the end of the day, connection beats attention.

What the Right Metrics Reveal

When someone likes, saves, or shares your post, they’re doing more than reacting, they’re responding.

They’re saying: 

“This mattered.”

“This feels like me.”, 

“I’m proud to belong here.”

And that’s what real data looks like, belonging measured in behavior, not just in numbers.

The Takeaway

For Jewish organizations, social media isn’t about chasing numbers; it’s about reflecting mission. It’s about showing who we are, what we value, and what we’re building together.

So before celebrating the next big number, pause to ask a better question:

Did this strengthen the connection?

Did this nurture Jewish pride, belonging, or inspiration?

Because growth that matters isn’t found in the numbers that rise and fall, it’s found in the relationships that remain.

So the next time you step on the scale of social media, don’t just ask, “Did we grow?” Ask, “Did we nourish something real?”

Because those are the numbers worth watching — and the ones that truly show your community's growth.