Analytics in the Creator Economy: Which Metrics Matter Most?

In the world of content creation, numbers never lie. But not all figures are equal.

If you are a creator who is juggling multiple platforms, a team and audience growth, it can be easy to lose yourself in vanity metrics. So what should you really care about? What data assists in your growth, monetization, and sanity?

Wish to avoid getting lost in spreadsheets while still making informed decisions? OnlyMonster Agency onlymonster.ai/agency has got you covered with AI-powered tools, breakdowns, and team access security that makes managing OnlyFans straightforward for creators and agencies. With help from chat automation and performance tracking, you can grow your account effortlessly.

Why Creators Should Care About Analytics

If you are on OnlyFans, Patreon, YouTube, Substack or Instagram — analytics will help you.

Determine what your audience wants.
Recognize what’s working (or not).
Make better decisions about your content.
Increase income by focusing on the converting factors.

Think of this as feedback — without those uncomfortable DMs though.

The Big Picture: What Are You Trying To Achieve?

Before diving into metrics ask yourself:
Do you want to grow your audience?
Would you like to make more money from existing supporters?
Are you trying out new kinds of content?

Your goals dictate which numbers truly matter. For instance if retention is what matters most to you then likes or views might be mere distractions.

The Core Metrics That Actually Matter

Now, let me zoom in on the metrics that are important, regardless of the platform.

1. Engagement Rate

Likes and comments and shares, even DMs, engagement entails everything your audience interacts with.

Why it matters: A smaller, but dedicated audience often outperforms a larger, passive audience.

Tip: Replies and private messages on subscription platforms like OnlyFans or Patreon = gold, that’s where trust and tips are built.

2. Retention Rate

What percentage of your subscribers/followers are sticking around month on month?

Why it matters: Acquiring fans is hard work. The churn is where your income stabilizes.

What to track:

Churn rate (or how many cancel subscriptions)
Renewal rate (or how many come back)
Average subscription length

Pro tip: Creators with high retention often combine consistent content with an occasional surprise like messages, early drops, or behind-the-scene access.

3. Conversion Rate

What percent of the people that land on your page actually subscribe, buy or support you?

Why it matters: If the conversion rate is low, it’s not a traffic problem — it’s an offer or messaging problem.

What to test:

Your pricing tiers
Intro video or welcome message
Call to Action (what exactly is being asked of them?)

4. Business Revenue Per Subscriber

Creators who leverage the capabilities of business strategies will place an attention here.

Why it is important: Subscribers are not equal to revenue. A smaller group of highly loyal fans can outperform a massive free-following.

Spend focus on:

Average revenue per user (ARPU)
Lifetime value (LTV) of a subscriber
Tip/bonus income vs. subscription income

5. Post Performance Assessment

Which posts drive engagement, conversions, tips?

Analytics can help in figuring out:

Content themes that performed the best
Time of posting
Forms of content (videos, photo sets, stories, lives)

A personal touch: A friend of mine realized that “low-effort” selfie stories drove more fan messages than her polished photo shoots. Guess what she does more of now?

Additional: Important, but not overly obvious metrics

These metrics do not feature in every relevant activity indication mosaic.

Within the community: Are people talking, what questions are they responding to?
Within the fanbase: Is someone specifically asking for more of a certain content?
Dwell Time: How much time do users spend on your page or engaging with your content?

These less publicized “rock signals” indicate users will be loyal for much longer than anticipated.