How to Measure Success on Social Media: A Comprehensive Guide

So, you want to succeed on social media? What does a successful social media presence look like? How do you measure it? Does it make a satisfying 'ting' when it’s done, like food in a microwave? What key performance indicators (KPIs) should you monitor?

TL;DR Your success on social media is tied to your business goals.

Let’s dive deeper into what this means.

At its core, a thriving business needs:

• A reliable revenue stream from satisfied customers.
• A consistent influx of new customers to drive growth.
• General brand awareness among its target audience and potential employees.

Hold on a moment.

It’s crucial to understand that organic social media alone will not guarantee you’ll achieve all these goals. This insight comes from an organic social media business. Hence, it holds some weight.

[Organic social media encompasses unpaid activities like posting, engaging with users, and interacting with the community.]

Let’s discuss the specific goals organic social media can assist you with, along with their KPIs.

How can I promote my brand?

One of the primary goals is to enhance brand awareness among your target audience. Here, the emphasis is on visibility.

On social media, visibility is reflected through Reach, Impressions, and Mentions.

What is reach? Reach refers to the total number of unique individuals who have seen your content. If one person views your post twice, your reach remains one. Today, your reach is usually less than your follower count.

What are impressions? Impressions denote the total times your content appears on screens. If one person sees your content twice, you achieve two impressions. A high number indicates that your posts are visible on people's timelines.

What are mentions? Mentions are the number of times your brand or related terms are referenced on social media. This is particularly useful for established brands monitoring mentions after a significant campaign launch.

How can I build an audience?

The goal here is to create an engaged audience on your channels. Engagement and following are key elements.

What does engagement mean? Engagement represents the total reactions your post receives, including likes, comments, clicks, and shares. Higher engagement increases the likelihood that users will return to your content.

What is the engagement rate? This is the sum of likes, comments, shares, and clicks divided by the total number of viewers. It’s an effective measure of how compelling your content is to your audience.

What does following indicate? Gaining followers shows an interest in your content. Monitor your rate of new followers rather than just the total to understand what drives people to follow you.

However, be cautious. It’s tempting to create content solely for interaction. This can lead to losing sight of why you’re building an audience.

Our experience, along with that of numerous B2Bs, reveals that providing value is the best way to attract followers aligned with your goals. Share useful insights and educational content. For more tips, check out our free e-book.

How can I get visitors and leads?

The aim is to convert your target audience into leads at the top of the funnel so they enter your CRM system.

What is the clickthrough rate? This measures the percentage of users who clicked on your posted link compared to those who saw it. A high clickthrough rate indicates your ability to attract website visitors through social media.

What about new visitors? Google Analytics helps you track how many visitors came from social media. Regularly check how many new visitors you attract each week and correlate this with your posts.

How do I track new leads? Your CRM can identify how many new leads, or individuals who provided their email addresses, originated from social media and referrals.

Read this for more on how to generate leads via social media, and go from content to sales.

How can I acquire new customers?

The goal is to turn leads into customers by promoting your product or solution effectively.

What is the conversion rate? This percentage reflects the leads that convert into customers. Remember that leads may come from various sources, not just organic social media. Filter your data to assess how well social media leads convert.

A high conversion rate indicates that your social media messaging resonates with your value proposition.

As previously mentioned, relying solely on organic social media may not guarantee a steady intake of new customers. Invest in paid marketing for a more comprehensive customer funnel.

How can I attract future employees?

Here, the goal is to promote your employer brand to attract top-notch job applications.

How can I gauge my employer brand on social media? Measuring employer brand effectiveness through social media involves analysing several factors:

What is the job acceptance rate? This percentage indicates how many job offers are accepted. A stronger employer brand typically results in a higher acceptance rate. Pay attention to rejected offers and gather feedback to improve.

What is time-to-hire? This metric tracks the duration from first contact with a candidate to the hiring decision. An effective employer brand can reduce this time by up to 200%, making it important to monitor this trend.

For more, read our guide on building a successful employer brand.

What truly matters...

As standalone metrics, any of these KPIs can become points of obsession for social media managers. The key is to always consider them in unison for proper context.

Viral posts or PR coverage can generate spikes in these success indicators. Understanding the context allows you to recognise these spikes as outliers, while focusing on your averages.

If you need help determining your social media focus, we offer a free social media audit. Or start a free trial now!

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