In the previous two posts we talked about the importance of planning and gave some directions about simplifying your execution processes for your social media. Now let’s take a look at metrics, what and how to measure.
Lesson #1: Metrics Matter
Please take note. I didn’t say knowing which metrics to measure matters. That will become evident over time. Just start measuring! As the mother of five children, cleaning up the playroom at the end of a busy day could be a daunting task. Over time, I learned to work one corner of the room and get it sorted, then slowly make my way around the room in either direction. Where I started and which direction I went didn’t really matter. The strategy that worked was getting a pathway of order started so that I could look behind and see what progress had been made and look ahead to see what still needed to be done. Getting that “big picture” perspective was just a glance away.
Lesson #2: Create Your Benchmarks
Drawing a line in the sand, essentially setting a starting point, gives you a standard (benchmark) to measure against. Over time, you will start to understand which numbers are important and what they’re saying to you. Just get started. Then look for trends. Make connections between the numbers and the behavior. Look for patterns that answer the questions who, what, when, where, why and how.
Lesson #3: Build Regular Checkpoints
Tying specific online behavior to changes in your content strategy is the purpose of your metrics. You could look at your numbers every day. But you may not be able to see the forest for the trees. Keep in mind that growth will be incremental because human behavior is largely unpredictable. For most of us, a weekly or monthly review of statistics will start to reveal patterns and trends. What you’re looking for are indications of where you need to make adjustments as well as confirmation that your efforts are on-target.
Lesson #4: Review and Repeat
Now, stop and look back. Then look forward. Ask the questions what worked? What didn’t? Keep on doing the things that worked, making improvements where you can; switch and change up the things that didn’t work. What can you add to the mix to kick it up to the next level? In the next quarter focus on one platform to make it stronger.
Like the layers of an onion, there are many ways to go deeper in social media. The constant changes in tools and platforms keep us all in learning mode. Yet the basic strategies of content marketing are similar across B2B and B2C.
Social media is not as simple as it first appears. There are many layers, lessons to be learned and lots of moving parts. If you need support, reach out and let us know how we can serve you.