Defining success on social media can be complicated.
Even after you’ve set your goals to align with your company’s business objectives, then comes the challenge of figuring out how to measure against those goals through a myriad of metrics that each social network defines (and delivers) differently.
For example, assessing a social media campaign’s performance across channels and content types can be challenging due to differing engagement calculations and actions that can be taken on a post.
Our product philosophy is that, where possible, Khoros Marketing brings in engagement data directly from each social network to give you the ability to compare data from our platform with native platform analytics. That said, knowing engagement calculations differ across channels and content types, Khoros gives you the ability to create custom calculations to normalize performance and better align with your unique business goals.
Make sense of data Nuances with these approaches to Normalized metrics
Below is a common example of how to look at, and standardize engagement data across three of the biggest social networks; Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, to help you make sense of these nuances.
You may or may not know this, but Facebook and Twitter include many types of clicks in their engagement calculations. Things like video and media clicks that make an image larger in your browser.
Why does this matter? It can bloat the numbers. This click data makes up a large part of the overall engagement count and may bloat the results of content that include videos or links. It’s also important to note that Instagram engagement metrics do not include click data.
Given the differing approach to measurement from Facebook and Twitter, it may appear that Instagram content isn’t performing as well as other channels. This is where the power (and necessity) of defining your own engagement calculations come into play.
1. Use universal metrics for comparisons
Each network defines engagement differently.
Let’s use an example of comparing performance across Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. In the chart below, you see that, based on engagement, Facebook, and Twitter are outperforming Instagram. However, we know that the way these channels look at engagement vary.
“Their Definition of Engagement”
How can you compare Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter content in a way that normalizes performance? In our next visual, you can see that if you choose metrics such as comments and likes that are consistent across these platforms, channel performance looks different, and Twitter is now the lowest performer.
“Likes+Comments = Engagement”
2. Select metrics aligned with business and content goals
Think beyond engagement and about metrics that are the biggest indicators of success
Let's look at another set of metrics. Similar to the challenge outlined above, some content types have metrics such as link or video clicks that aren’t available within other content types as they may not have a video or link included. Picking a metric that is universal to content types across channels or within a channel provides clearer insight, particularly when aligned with business goals and turned into a rate.
For example, in the chart below, it appears Facebook photos yield the highest engagement. However, photos also have the largest post and impressions volume. So naturally, the more posts and impressions, the more opportunity for engagement.
If your primary goal for Facebook content was awareness, for example, it might be better to look at a metric available for all Facebook content types such as shares in the form of a rate (shares/impressions). When looking under the lens of share rate, video is now a top performer.
You could also choose to look at each content type and related engagement rates independently to assess performance. Either way, selecting a metric or metrics that align with goals and normalize performance across or within a category allows for more accurate reporting.
This is why the ability to make custom calculations is one of the most requested features among Khoros customers and why we built out Custom Defined Metric functionality.
3. Utilize the resources available to you!
Don't forget to take advantage of these valuable resources created with your success in mind!
Strategies? Ask your peers what approaches they take to create the best metric for their efforts.
In Khoros product? Check out this video walkthrough, Building and Integrating Custom Metrics.
How to build Custom Metrics in Khoros: Detailed instructions can be reviewed here.
- Go to Analytics > Custom Metrics from your top navigation and click “Create”
- Choose the category of metrics you’ll be calculated from
- Define your formula and save
- Use your new metrics in your dashboards and data exports!
Questions? Comment below! We are here to help!
You can @mention your customer success manager if you want to discuss more resources.
