Customer Lifetime Value (LTV)

Customer Lifetime Value (LTV) represents the total revenue a business can expect from a single customer account throughout their entire relationship.

How to Calculate LTV

There are several ways to calculate LTV. Here’s the most common formula:

LTV = Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) × Customer Lifespan

Or more precisely:

LTV = (Average Revenue Per Month × Gross Margin %) / Monthly Churn Rate

For example, if ARPU is $100/month, gross margin is 80%, and monthly churn is 5%, then: LTV = ($100 × 0.80) / 0.05 = $1,600

Why LTV Matters

LTV helps businesses understand: – How much to invest in customer acquisition – Which customer segments are most valuable – The long-term health of the business – Pricing strategy effectiveness

LTV:CAC Ratio

3:1 or higher: Generally considered healthy

Less than 3:1: May indicate acquisition costs are too high

Much higher than 3:1: Might suggest under-investment in growth

Strategies to Increase LTV

1. Reduce Churn: Keep customers longer
2. Increase ARPU: Upsell and cross-sell
3. Improve Onboarding: Faster time to value
4. Add Features: Increase product stickiness
5. Customer Success: Proactive support and guidance

LTV by Cohort

Analyzing LTV by customer cohorts provides insights into: – Which acquisition channels bring the most valuable customers – How product changes affect customer value – Seasonal patterns in customer behavior – The impact of pricing changes

Predictive LTV

Advanced businesses use machine learning to predict LTV based on: – Early usage patterns – Customer demographics – Product engagement metrics – Support ticket history

Understanding and optimizing LTV is essential for sustainable, profitable growth.