You know what maddens me more than dunking my biscuit in my tea for a split second too long? Hearing hosts celebrate Instagram "wins" that don't actually win them anything.

Last time I shared why you need to stop chasing algorithms and start serving your Perfect Potential Guests. Today, let's talk about measuring whether that shift is actually working.

Time for a reality check you might not enjoy.

Three months ago, I was chatting to a host in Oxford who showed me her phone with genuine excitement. "Look at this!" she said, scrolling through post after post with 50+ likes. Her engagement was consistently high, her photos were stunning.

"How many external link clicks do you get then?" I asked.

The silence was deafening.

She'd been gauging her social media marketing success against the wrong ruler, by the wrong metrics. She had no idea if those numbers (let's you & me just call them Vanity Metrics for now) were translating into enquiries, let alone bookings.

So, it's my job to show you what actually counts when you shift to serving your Perfect Potential Guests:

The 5 Numbers That Matter

(track these over the last 30 days)

1. Profile Visits - 
   When your content speaks to your ideal guests, they click through to learn more.
    

2. New Followers - 
   If you're getting profile visits but not gaining followers, something's off.
    

3. External Link Clicks - 
   This is where the money lives. The more clicks on your Link in Bio, the more likely someone becomes a guest.
    

4. Profile Conversion Rate (PCR) - 
   New Followers ÷ Profile Visits × 100.
   
   Aim for 20% (1 in every 5 visitors becomes a follower).
   
   Under 20%? Your profile likely needs a strategic overhaul - so many hosts have never optimised this critical conversion point (where browsers become bookers) that I was compelled to create a step-by-step training to show you how.
   
   The hosts getting 20%+ conversion? They've cracked something many never figure out - how to make their bio irresistible to bookers.
    

5. Link Conversion Rate (LCR) - 
   External Link Clicks ÷ Profile Visits × 100. 
   
   Track this over time. 
   
   If the trend is downward, look to your Calls to Action (suggest people visit your Link in Bio more & ask for likes/comments less).
   
   Bonus Tip: 
   If mixing up your Calls to Action doesn't improve your LCR, check your Hooks. 
   
   If your graphics don't lead to a compelling Hook (the first 125 characters), no one's gonna click that "...more" to read on. 
   
   This is why successful hosts don't wing their content - they have systems. You can learn more about this here.

Instead of celebrating vanity metrics that feel good but achieve nothing, start tracking these 5 numbers that signal genuine interest from people who actually travel and book accommodation.

Your Perfect Potential Guests aren't just scrolling and hearting random posts. 

They're subconsciously or actively researching.

They're comparing.

They're scouting for specific triggers that help them choose where to stay.

When you create content that serves their needs rather than just collecting likes, something profound happens.

Your content starts turning browsers into lookers and your profile starts converting lookers into bookers (or enquirers... but I'm still struggling to find a good rhyme for enquirers - comment below & let me know if you have one?). ↴