**Update: We have a guide available to accompany this article. [Click here to download the guide (opens in a new tab.)] Dave McClure, the founder of 500 Startups and well-known startup personality, coined the term “Pirate Metrics” back in 2007. Pirate Metrics, or “AARRR” helps startups think through the five most important metrics of their business: acquisition, activation, retention, referral, and revenue. Each one of these five metrics is critical for startups, and for businesses in general. Without tracking these metrics, you won’t have a sustainable, scalable business nor will you know if you are succeeding.
AARRR! Pirate Metrics For Startups
**Update: We have a guide available to accompany this article. [Click here to download the guide (opens in a new tab.)] Dave McClure, the founder of 500 Startups and well-known startup personality, coined the term “Pirate Metrics” back in 2007. Pirate Metrics, or “AARRR” helps startups think through the five most important metrics of their business: acquisition, activation, retention, referral, and revenue. Each one of these five metrics is critical for startups, and for businesses in general. Without tracking these metrics, you won’t have a sustainable, scalable business nor will you know if you are succeeding.
Blaire Martin (@blaire_martin) says
Great article Dan!
Dan McGaw says
Thanks Blaire, glad you liked it.
It is amazing to me how many companies do not track these metrics. Many time people get analysis paralysis because they are tracking 50 different metrics. Focus on the one’s above and they would be solid. Hope FAN can push this knowledge to their portfolio :)
Nicolas Colombres says
Kicking Ar** article Dan. Always learning with you :)
Thanks men!
Dan McGaw says
Nicolas,
Thank you for the kind words :) Glad you enjoyed the post, what metrics are you tracking at Pulse?
alexflom12Alex says
Enjoyed reading your article Dan!
I agree that many companies are not tracking those metrics.
I think that it is a big problem to know which metrics to track and how to calculate them.
We are trying to solve this problem with Kilometer.io which automatically calucates the most important saas metrics.
Will be happy to hear what you think about our approach :-)
Alex
Dan McGaw says
Alex,
Glad you are on the same page with the metrics stuff. I think what I see many time is either no tracking or over tracking. As an analytics dude I like to track a ton of things so I can always answer questions, but I also only look at 3-5 metrics on a weekly basis.
Our company is based on meetings, discoveries and MRR. So it keeps thing pretty simple.
M Rizki Hardiyanto says
Thankyou for the insight!