Social media analytics: focus on what matters most

If you really want to know how your website is performing, you’ve got to run the numbers. And if you want to see how well you’re performing on social media, the numbers won’t lie. Like Facebook, Twitter is now offering users new analytics to measure organic performance. At Black Tie Digital Marketing, we want to be sure you’re focused on the most important numbers.

• Likes/Followers: social media newbies tend to think that the number of Facebook likes and Twitter followers is the most important stat. Obviously, a robust online community with a growing number of participants is the aim. But no matter how many new customers and potential clients “like” or “follow” you online, don’t call it success just yet.
• Impressions: So if you have 5,000 followers on Twitter, you may want to dance a little jig. That’s pretty legit for a regional company. Cheeers to you! But remember: not all 5,000 of your followers will be online at the same time. Just as Facebook curates the News Feed, Twitter won’t show your tweets to every single one of your followers. Only those followers who are logged on and looking will see your tweet. So out of 5,000 followers, you may get only 250 impressions (that is, the number of times your tweet actually appears on someone’s screen).
• Engagement: And beyond the number of impressions, there’s an even more important bit of data. Of the 250 folks who view your tweet, how many of them engage with it? How many retweets, replies, and favorites come about? How did that hashtag perform? This is where success can be measured!

So if your business is new to social media, be sure to focus your attention on the numbers that really matter. Rather than accumulating page likes and followers, focus on engaging the followers you do have. And if you’ve got questions, call your Melbourne social media marketing team at Black Tie Digital Marketing today!