What Is a Custom Metric? Your Own Numerical Measure
DICTIONARY · ANALYTICS

What Is a Custom Metric?

A custom metric is a user-defined numerical measurement.

In plain English

Where a numeric event parameter should be summed or averaged in reports, registering it as a custom metric makes that possible. Quantity, score, duration, margin.

Like custom dimensions, it has to be registered and does not backfill. The unit of measurement is declared at registration and cannot be changed casually.

What to know

Numeric
Summed or averaged in reports.
From event parameters
Registered explicitly.
Unit declared
Standard, currency, distance, time.
No backfill
From registration onward.

Why it matters

Most businesses need fewer custom metrics than they expect. Revenue and value are already standard; the genuine cases are operational numbers unique to the business.

Common mistakes

×Custom metrics duplicating standard ones.
×Wrong unit declared at registration.
×Registering numbers nobody analyses.
×Expecting historic data.

FAQs

When do I need a custom metric?

When a numeric value specific to your business needs summing in reports.

Can I change the unit later?

Changing it affects how existing data reads. Get it right at registration.

WRITTEN BY TARIQ SALLAM
Marketing Consultant. Entrepreneur. Content Creator.

I'm a marketing consultant, entrepreneur and content creator. I help businesses grow through practical marketing, websites, SEO, content and AI.

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