What is North Star Metric?
The single key metric that best captures the core value a product delivers to customers.
A North Star Metric is the single metric that best captures the core value your product delivers to customers. It serves as the primary focus for the entire product organization, aligning teams around a shared goal. Examples: Spotify uses 'time spent listening', Airbnb uses 'nights booked', Slack uses 'messages sent'. The metric should be measurable, actionable, and directly tied to customer value — not vanity metrics like page views or downloads.
Related terms
OKR Alignment
The practice of connecting Objectives and Key Results to transformation initiatives and team goals.
Product Strategy
The high-level plan that defines the product's vision, target market, and competitive positioning.
Product-Led Growth
A business strategy where the product itself drives customer acquisition, conversion, and retention.
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