What are the top web analytics metrics for social media content?

1 Reach and impressions

Reach and impressions are two metrics that show how many people have seen your content on social media. Reach measures the number of unique users who have viewed your content, while impressions measure the total number of times your content has been displayed. Both metrics can help you understand the potential size and exposure of your audience, as well as the effectiveness of your distribution channels. However, they do not tell you how engaged or interested your audience is, so you need to combine them with other metrics to get a fuller picture.

2 Engagement and interaction

Engagement and interaction are two metrics that show how your audience is responding to your content on social media. Engagement measures the number of actions that users take on your content, such as likes, comments, shares, saves, clicks, and views. Interaction measures the ratio of engagement to reach or impressions, which indicates how relevant or appealing your content is to your audience. Both metrics can help you assess the quality and impact of your content, as well as the loyalty and satisfaction of your audience. However, they do not tell you how your content is influencing your audience's behavior or decisions, so you need to align them with your goals and objectives.

3 Conversions and attribution

Conversions and attribution are two metrics that show how your content is driving your audience to take a desired action on social media or beyond. Conversions measure the number of users who complete a specific goal, such as signing up for your newsletter, downloading your ebook, or buying your product. Attribution measures the contribution of each content piece or channel to the conversion, which helps you understand the customer journey and the return on investment. Both metrics can help you optimize your content strategy and budget, as well as demonstrate your value and credibility as a content creator. However, they require a clear definition of your goals and a reliable tracking system to measure accurately.

4 Trends and insights

Trends and insights are two metrics that show how your content is performing over time and compared to others on social media. Trends measure the changes and patterns in your metrics over a period of time, such as days, weeks, months, or seasons. Insights measure the differences and benchmarks in your metrics across platforms, competitors, or industry standards. Both metrics can help you identify the strengths and weaknesses of your content, as well as the opportunities and threats in your niche. However, they require a consistent and comprehensive analysis of your data and context to generate actionable recommendations.