General
move the dial
What does move the dial mean?
To produce a change large enough to be noticed on a key metric, used interchangeably with 'move the needle'.
"We need a campaign that actually moves the dial on sign-ups."
Origin
Dial/gauge metaphor; a common variant of 'move the needle'.
Frequently asked questions
What does move the dial mean?
It means to produce a change big enough to register on a key metric, and it's used interchangeably with 'move the needle'.
Is move the dial the same as move the needle?
Yes, they're variants of the same idiom, both drawing on the image of a gauge whose dial or needle shifts when something meaningful happens.
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