You're a PM on Facebook Stories. What metrics would you look at to see if the product was doing well? Next, how would you game these metrics — that is, what could you do that would make the metrics go up but would be bad for users and Meta?

Introduction

To approach this product success metrics problem effectively, I will follow a simple product success metric framework. I'll cover core metrics, supporting indicators, and risk factors while considering all key stakeholders for Facebook Stories.

Step 1

Product Context

Facebook Stories is a feature within the Facebook app that allows users to share ephemeral photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours. It's similar to Instagram Stories but integrated into the Facebook ecosystem.

Key stakeholders:

• Users: Want to share moments and connect with friends
• Advertisers: Seek engagement opportunities
• Facebook: Aims to increase user engagement and time spent on the platform

User flow:

1. Creation: Users capture or upload photos/videos, add filters, stickers, or text
2. Sharing: Content is posted to their Story
3. Viewing: Friends can view the Story for 24 hours
4. Interaction: Viewers can react or reply to Story content

Facebook Stories fits into Meta's broader strategy of promoting ephemeral, visual content sharing to compete with platforms like Snapchat and increase daily active usage.

Compared to competitors, Facebook Stories leverages the platform's large user base but faces challenges in adoption among older demographics.

Product Lifecycle Stage: Growth phase - while the feature is established, there's still significant room for increased adoption and engagement.