When you’re a small business looking to grow, social media marketing and using social analytics can be two of the most effective ways to get started. With the wealth of information out there, however, it can easily become overwhelming trying to understand if your marketing is, in fact, effective. The best way to do that is to learn the basics of social analytics–that is, to make use of the tools provided by the various social media networks in order to visualize how your customers or potential customers are engaging with your brand.
What are the Basics of Social Analytics?
- Social Analytics literally analyze data from your customers to help inform your business decisions
- A way to track customer awareness and your business’ success
- Something you should definitely, REALLY care about!
What Social Analytics Metrics Should I Be Tracking?
- Impressions
- Reach
- Engagement
- Conversions
What are “Impressions?”
- How often your content was displayed across a social network
- Any time that content is displayed to a user, it counts as an impression
- One user can see that content multiple times, and it will count as multiple impressions
What is “Reach?”
- How many unique users saw your content
- May be referred to as “unique impressions”
- Certain networks may note “actual reach” vs. “potential reach” when trying to help you understand promoted or paid posts
What is “Engagement?”
- Engagement are your likes, comments, clicks and shares
- This metric tracks how “engaged” your audience is with your brand and content
What are “Conversions?”
- Actions taken on your content and/or the sales resulting from your ad
- Examples include:
- Sending a message
- Visiting your website
- Making a phone call
- Buying a product
- Etc.
This is not the end!
Your business’ goals will determine which metrics you should be tracking. The metrics you choose to analyze will help you tweak those business goals. The best way to get started is to start exploring the tools provided to you by the social networks you use most, and practice managing your social media accounts effectively!
