the 3 metrics that drive growth

Let’s start with a hard truth.

Instagram’s business model is simple:

Keep people on the platform longer so they can sell more ads.

Whether you like it or not, that’s the game you’re playing.

If you want your videos shown to more people, you need to help them do that.

Step one is consistency.
Step two is combining art and science.

Most people obsess over views and likes, but those are vanity metrics.

To grow, you need to track the numbers that show how people actually experience your videos.

Here are the three that matter most 👇

1) Skip Rate (Hook Strength)

How many people swipe before the 3-second mark.

Benchmarks:

• < 50% = good

• < 45% = great

• < 40% = elite

If skip rate is high, your hook isn’t earning attention.

Ask yourself: “If a stranger came across this post, have I given them a reason to stay in the first three seconds?”

If you don’t nail this, nothing else matters.

2) Watch Time % (Retention)

The higher this number, the deeper the attention.

Formula:
Watch Time % = Average watch time ÷ Video length

Examples:

• 30s video with 15s average watch time = 50% (great)

• 40s video with 8s average watch time = 20% (bad)

A higher percentage means stronger retention.

To improve: open a curiosity loop early, delay the payoff, and close it with a satisfying resolution.

Every extra second signals more value and earns more reach.

3) Saves & Shares (Relatability + Value)

These two metrics predict growth because they show what people find worth returning to or sharing with others.

Guidelines:

• Shares = Relevance (aim for a 4:1 like-to-share ratio)

• Saves = Value (aim for a 3:1 like-to-save ratio)

Shares reflect relatability, humor, or news (the kind of content you’d send to a friend.)
Saves reflect value (frameworks, insights, or ideas people want to revisit later.)

Ask yourself:

“What would make my ideal viewer save this for later or send it to someone else?”

If you can earn both, you’ve created something worth remembering.

The Big Takeaway

If you’re posting consistently but not seeing growth, it’s time to put on your lab coat.

✅ Lower skip rate with stronger hooks
✅ Increase watch time with tighter curiosity loops
✅ Drive saves and shares with relevant, useful ideas

Focus 80% of your effort on your hook and opening a curiosity loop.

Even a 5% lift can compound into two to five times more reach.

Marry art and science.
Study the metrics that matter.
Treat every post as a data point.

The algorithm isn’t random; it’s a reflection of human behavior.

Now you have the data to make it work in your favor.

Rooting for ya,
—Dodds