How can you explain complex social media metrics to non-social media professionals?

The value of social media with metrics and goals that are aligned and ladder up to business objectives is how this story should be told to all audiences. Harder still is in applying this in reality, making this understood at process level through the business as opposed to only a focus on short term vanity metrics in reporting. Achieve this by shifting your perspective that social is only a paid for broadcast channel and utilise social media holistically across your entire customer journey to reach those interested and build business critical communities made up of your most engaged customers and advocates.

I also find it’s helpful to illustrate complex metrics via stories or analogies that are relatable to the audience. If it’s an audience of store retail managers, how do you position the metric say in the context of the store?

If you know nothing else about social media metrics, remember this: attention is everything, especially retention. It's all about how long you can keep your audience engaged. This is a strategy even giants like Mr. Beast swear by and build their brand around.

It all boils down to one question: what are the KPIs? What are we actually measuring? What matters to our organisation? (Well, more like three questions :) but very similar ones!) Once this has been determined, what I personally find helpful is to build a narrative around the stark numbers, both through slides and through an accompanying email that underlines: 1. what worked; 2. what didn't work; 3. top performing content and WHY; 4. lessons learned.

Although commonly assumed to be understood, quantifiable social metrics can often be unfamiliar to those outside the industry. The initial step in presenting these complex metrics involves assessing an individual's knowledge and familiarity within this field. While senior leadership typically comprehends these metrics, when engaging with new clients or individuals unaccustomed to these metrics, I find it beneficial to prepare a reference 'cheat sheet.' This document includes key terms and explanations for quick reference during presentations. This approach ensures efficiency, avoiding repetitive explanations that may unintentionally appear patronizing.

Focus on what matters. If it’s about making new friends, highlight likes and comments. If it's about the party's reputation, discuss shares.

One thing that most companies get wrong is focusing on awareness. Most companies don't have the recognition and awareness of a brand like Coca-Cola. But they have a social media strategy that follows that of a well-known global company. Most companies should make the primary focus of their social media strategy to be to pique the interest of members of their ideal audience on that channel. That happens through creation of educational content, being genuinely helpful, and adding value to online conversations. Most companies just add promotional noise. The metrics that your company very likely cares about are those directly and closely tied to revenue. Those metrics are easy to understand and attribute value to.

If you don't understand what each metric does for your brand or the business then you won't be able to tailor a set of metrics or KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) to the needs of each client. Talking with your client about their goals and expectations of their social media presence is key to knowing what to measure. You can tell clients you got 1,000 impressions but that may not mean anything to them. If on the other hand, you are working with a startup that wants to increase awareness about their brand you can tell them that impressions are a measure of potential attention you are getting when your content is loaded on a page or feed and people could have seen it. Defining what metrics mean is the first step to reporting metrics.

Always keep in mind that the brand team managing a campaign is reporting results and metrics up the chain. Thus it’s essential that you understand which metrics matter most to the executive who approved the program. Speak in ROI terms with elements like: 1) Measurement of campaign cost as a function of impressions and engagement gained and compare that to what it would have otherwise cost for the brand to purchase the impressions outright. That’s usually more expensive and of lower quality. 2) Conduct intercept surveys to demonstrate improved brand preference as a direct result of the campaign. 3) Secure organic and truthful testimonials from campaign participants that support the original objectives. ROI language is essential.

-Objective Alignment: Tailor your metrics to align with overarching objectives. If the aim is brand awareness, highlight metrics like reach and impressions. -Value Demonstration: Metrics should vividly showcase the value you bring. Connect website traffic goals with metrics like clicks and bounce rate, offering a clear picture of user engagement and interaction. -Audience-Centric Approach: Anticipate and address audience questions by presenting metrics that directly answer their inquiries. For those eyeing lead generation or sales, focus on metrics like conversions, cost per lead, and return on ad spend to demonstrate tangible outcomes.????

Unveiling the world of social media metrics involves a three-step journey. First, align chosen metrics with your goals—focus on brand awareness, website traffic, or lead generation. Second, showcase value by connecting metrics like clicks, referrals, and conversions to tangible outcomes. Third, make metrics relatable by defining each, explaining calculations, and emphasizing significance. Provide context with benchmarks, making results easily understandable. For instance, when spotlighting reach, clarify it as the count of unique users encountering your content. This approach fosters a deeper comprehension of your social media impact, enhancing communication and storytelling. ????

Certain metrics are driven by certain actions of either the social media platform or the user. This helps us understand what our content and the user are doing in relation to our brand or content. If your client doesn't understand the basics of how social media works and the metrics' role in informing us of outcomes then your work will not have accurate value. This goes hand in hand with setting and managing client expectations. If you fail to educate your client on reasonable expectations you will not be able to serve them for very long. There has to be a mutual understanding of what you are measuring, what it means, how you are driving and optimizing those outcomes, and what value it is bringing to the business.

Asking a marketer to explain marketing metrics is like asking a football player to explain what a down is—where do you start? I've found it helpful to use analogies with those in the room that aren't marketers. I also find it helpful to simplify phrases like "100 impressions" with a phase or action that someone can visualize: "100 people saw it" or "100 people clicked on it." Pro tip: Ask AI "explain [insert phrase] to me like I'm a fifth grader. There's always some good nuggets to help contextualize what you're trying to say.

Most marketers (or self-proclaimed marketers) love social media because it can be measured with numbers and data. However, some cherry-pick the data and focus on followers rather than engagement. It is important to explain the difference between various numbers.

Never share data in a vacuum! Provide context for why the metrics are important and relevant. Can you connect increased reach with a particular post time? Does engagement soar for a stand out topic? How does the best performing content stack up against the flops? Don't just tell the "what," but show the "why!"

This is the best way to explain complex ideas. By using visuals and stories, you can send your message across even if it is complicated. Every marketer knows these are the best way to go when it comes to marketing. Marketers translate messages and making it simplier to different channels and audiences.

You can almost never go wrong with storytelling — as long as they are not offensive to the audience. Again, knowing your audience well enough should guide you on what stories are offensive or not. One thing I've found helpful is to do your research to understand the audience and their values. It is wise to also understand their origin story and see if you can weave that into your presentation. It would make them easily connect with your message

User generated content is an efficient way to deploy visuals that don’t feel like hard advertising. Many times it’s less expensive and tells the product story in a positive way.

The best advice I ever got for story telling (creative whether pics, video, etc) was from a creative writing workshop when I was 12 lead by author Sigmund Brouwer. Make a problem, make it worse, solve it. Whatever visual or story you tell, you need this formula.

I agree. When it comes to explaining complex ideas, especially ideas like understanding KPI‘s using stories, visuals, graphs, analogies, and metaphors is the easiest way to explain it. Imagine you're teaching someone to drive. You could explain the mechanics of how a car works, but it's more effective to say, "Driving is like walking; just like you turn your feet to where you want to go, you steer the car in the direction you want to move." This connects a new concept (driving) with a familiar action (walking), making the learning process smoother and more intuitive. This is my favorite way to make complex ideas understandable.

As social media experts, you need to be able to explain to your customers (internal or external) who are not themselves experts in this field, whether the posts are performing well or not. The best way to do this is to compare each indicator with an average performance for a company in the same sector. You should also have a monthly performance report that compares with the previous period to check whether the KPIs are on the rise.

Well, I'll explain how each metric directly impacts their business goals (sales, brand awareness, etc.). I'll also Use real-world analogies. Comparing metrics to familiar concepts like website traffic or store footfall. ? Visualize it. Charts and graphs make abstract numbers concrete. . I'll make it simple, Focusing on a few key metrics, not a jargon salad. . Answer the "why." I'll explain not just what the numbers are, but what they mean for their strategy. Bonus: Tell a story. I'll weave the metrics into a storytelling narrative about their audience and brand interactions. This will make the explanation cohesive for in-depth understanding

The criteria for evaluating metrics is contingent upon the client in question. A big misconception involves the comparison of metrics among brands, individuals and their competitors. To accurately interpret metrics, various factors must be considered such as account's duration, number of followers, audience. A post garnering 1000 comments may be terrible for a well-established brand but remarkable for a new social media account. The interpretation is subjective. Similarly, a post receiving 10,000 likes does not guarantee sales, while a less-liked post may prove more lucrative based on the audience it reaches and conversion rate. The effectiveness of metrics ultimately depends on who engages with the content and ability to generate revenue.

Anticipez et répondez aux questions que votre public peut avoir sur vos mesures complexes des médias sociaux. Expliquez les lacunes ou les anomalies dans vos données, et proposez des solutions pour les surmonter. Par exemple, si le co?t par prospect a augmenté, expliquez les raisons et proposez des recommandations pour optimiser vos campagnes. Soyez prêt à fournir des informations supplémentaires et des prochaines étapes en fonction de vos données.

Social media experts understand the importance of keeping clients informed about their posts' performance. Monthly performance reports comparing metrics with the previous period can help identify if the KPIs are improving. A/B testing is crucial to determine what works and what doesn't. Remember, changes take time, and it's essential to stay focused and stick to the plan while A/B testing.

To enhance your proficiency in explaining complex social media metrics, diligent practice is crucial. Focus on refining your delivery, perfecting timing, and boosting your confidence. Seek feedback from individuals resembling your target audience to ensure clarity, relevance, and value in your message. Embrace constructive criticism to make insightful improvements and maximize the effectiveness of your explanation.

Practice explaining metrics to a friend or colleague. If they get it, you're ready. If not, simplify more until it’s crystal clear. Their questions and feedback can be invaluable.

Consider this: You're weaving a narrative for your leadership team. Sometimes, the most impressive metrics don't align with their priorities. To bridge this gap, hold regular meetings with leadership to grasp their specific goals. This insight can help develop additional KPIs tracking progress. While alignment may occur, remember that social media metrics encompass various data points. Maintaining an open feedback channel is invaluable for pinpointing effectiveness and areas for improvement. Ultimately, the goal is aligning campaigns with the company's broader vision.

N?o cometa o erro de ficar apenas com os feedbacks da área. Ter feedbacks de outros stakeholders irá ampliar sua perspectiva sobre as métricas de mídias sociais, com uma variedade de interpreta??es e um leque de abordagens para cada público. Isso torna suas explica??es mais personalizadas e eficazes.

Siempre pide que otros interpreten contigo. Los seres humanos tendemos a dotar de logica informaciones de acuerdo a nuestra forma de pensar. Esto puede llevarnos a interpretaciones sesgadas y forzadas. Recuerda eres una persona que piensa de acuerdo a su historia, experiencia, e incluso sesgado por tu contexto social, economico y cultural

You can not explain advanced social media metrics when the companies that own them and the people that work for them have no idea what those metrics will be week to week. Without a constant preferred format, algorithmic results and trend awareness, your time is better served clipping your toenails or watching funny cat videos on YouTube. Btw I had 6 Collaborative Top Voice awards then I stopped responding because they have less value than a Shrute Buck.

Don't oversell or undersell what social media metrics can tell you. You should be clear and frank about what the numbers mean. If you got 100 likes, that means 100 people saw your post in a newsfeed filled with content and decided it was great. Not a small thing (especially if your presence is organic). But the data can't tell you everything your audience is thinking or will do. Honesty and positivity is the way forward.

Conveying complex social media metrics to non-professionals involves simplifying technical jargon and focusing on key insights. Analogies can be powerful; liken "Impressions" to the number of people passing a storefront, equating to visibility. Clarify "Click-Through Rate" by comparing it to the percentage of window shoppers who enter the store—indicating audience interest. Emphasize the significance of "Conversions" as completed purchases, directly impacting business success. Utilize relatable terms, steer clear of industry-specific terms, and highlight trends or improvements.

The most important thing in considering metrics, KPIS, and anything else related to the analysis of social media is FIRST understanding why it matters to your client. This means understanding their BUSINESS goals, the goals from social media, and then identifying the KPIs best representative of those goals. Additionally, education and context is always required: a 4% organic engagement rate on Facebook might sound terrible to someone in the C-suite, but giving them context of understanding how that compares to their previous months, to their competitors or industry standards, and then in the larger social landscape (in this case, pretty great!) will help them easily understand the analysis you're presenting.

Encourage them to use social media so that they will learn things firsthand. Make them understand the worth and value of the service you are providing.