Which Social Media Metrics Should You Be Watching?

14
Sep 2018

A woman browsing through social media metrics and reports

Balancing social media responsibilities can feel like a lot, sometimes like it’s too much. As analytics grow on every platform, the numbers can get overwhelming fast. As much as you might dread looking, those numbers are vital to keeping your digital marketing effective.

 

With the amount of data that the platforms provide, you can get quite granular. We recommend starting with a bigger overview at some of the more recognizable stats.

 

Where to Start

 

There are a few main numbers to keep in mind when you look at your analytics. Make sure you are checking in on these weekly, or even daily, to keep an up to date view of your channels.

 

  1. Followers: This is one you should proceed with caution. While you’d like to see organic growth on your channels, don’t be lured into tricks and bad tactics just to grow your following. You want your followers to be truly faithful to the brand. It’s important to remember that, even though you want a big and impressive number, you need to do it the right way.
  2. Engagement: So you’ve grown your fans. Do they like the content? If your audience isn’t interacting, you aren’t going to see the success you want. You want to encourage dialogue on your posts. The best way to start that is to ask questions. If people aren’t engaging, you need to shift your strategy.
  3. Likes and Shares: While not as important as engagement, likes and shares do a lot to spread the word about your page. Each share can equal dozens (or hundreds if you’re lucky) of new eyes on your brand. It shows your audience, and their connections, that you are providing great content that’s worth sharing.
  4. Website Traffic: Your ultimate goal is to get people to explore your brand further, and hopefully get them to your website. You want to have a firm grasp on where your traffic is coming from. Find out how much comes from social, how much is organic, and don’t forget to take dark social into account. Discovering what is successful in driving website traffic will help you make more successful content as time goes on.

 

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the information in front of you, know that you aren’t alone! Social media changes quickly. As important as this information is, you should keep in mind that you don’t need to look at the numbers every day. Stay focused on the big picture. Tackle the four categories above once a week, and keep track of what you’re seeing. Before long, you’ll see the difference.

Are you a business owner that is having a hard time managing your digital marketing, including social media? Are you struggling with where to start? KWSM offers annual Social Media Bootcamps for business owners to learn about Facebook, Youtube, Linkedin, and Instagram. Our next Bootcamp will take place in October, and you can sign up here.

 

 

 

 

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