Extra doesn’t essentially imply higher. Assume emails in your inbox, glitter on a Mom’s Day card, sizzling sauce… That applies to social media metrics, too.
You could be stunned to listen to it.
The extra info you could have, the higher you may tailor your social media technique, proper? Properly, not precisely. Not all social media metrics are created equal, and which of them to concentrate on comes all the way down to your particular social media targets.
You could be testing a brand new format, monitoring viewers development, or making an attempt to know how folks work together together with your posts. And whereas it’s tempting to trace all the pieces, extra knowledge doesn’t all the time imply extra readability.
Metrics are most useful once they information your subsequent transfer — whether or not that’s adjusting your content material, switching up your posting schedule, and even considering up new merchandise.
On this information, I’ll stroll you thru 12 social media metrics which can be particularly value a have a look at in 2025, once they’re most useful, and the way you need to use what you be taught to assist your social media advertising and marketing targets.
Social media metrics are the numbers you have a look at to see how your content material is performing in opposition to your social media targets.
Any time you test how many individuals appreciated a publish, clicked a hyperlink, or adopted your account, you’re working with social media metrics. Every one tells its personal story about your content material’s attain and impression.
You might hear folks seek advice from them as “social media KPIs” or key efficiency indicators. They sound comparable, however they aren’t precisely the identical.
Metrics embrace each single factor you may measure in your social media channels.
KPIs are the particular metrics you’ve chosen to trace in direction of your targets.
Let’s have a look at the important thing metrics that deserve your consideration.
Some metrics allow you to get a greater sense of how persons are responding to your content material. If you monitor these particular alerts, you begin to see clear patterns in what your viewers enjoys and comes again for.
1. Engagement fee
Engagement fee tells you ways a lot your viewers is interacting together with your content material — not simply seeing it, however actively responding to it.
Issues like likes, feedback, shares, or saves all depend in direction of engagement fee. It’s a fast option to perceive whether or not your content material is catching folks’s consideration and prompting them to reply.
Engagement fee is expressed as a share you may calculate with this formulation:
Freelance social media marketer Rebecca Broad makes use of this metric as a intestine test whereas creating content material. “Conserving engagement fee in thoughts means I consistently assess visuals and replica and ask ‘why would anybody care?’” says Rebecca.
“Why would somebody who sees this publish cease scrolling, and spend treasured time and vitality participating with it?” It’s a perspective that may allow you to maintain your viewers on the heart of each inventive determination.
You possibly can monitor engagement fee:
- for a single publish
- throughout a marketing campaign
- over time on a platform
Every view provides you barely completely different insights — from how effectively a selected piece of content material landed to how your viewers is participating week over week.
Put up engagement fee
Put up engagement fee exhibits you which of them posts are making folks cease and react — not simply scroll by.
This kind of social media engagement additionally tells the algorithm your content material is value sharing extra broadly, although they’re typically weighted barely in another way on every platform. For instance, shares (particularly in DMs) are a robust sign to the Instagram algorithm. Significant feedback carry weight on LinkedIn, particularly once they get a dialog going.
Observe this metric when:
- you are experimenting with new content material codecs
- you are selling a message you need to stand out
- you need to maintain a normal eye on what your viewers responds to
Methods to use publish engagement metrics
If you see a spike in engagement, don’t cease on the quantity — work out what’s behind it. Was the publish tied to a trending matter? Did you ask a query that obtained folks speaking? Did the visible pop within the feed?
These are the sorts of clues that may information what you publish subsequent. And if one thing actually clicks, search for methods to repurpose it elsewhere — Rebecca typically reworks robust LinkedIn posts into weblog CTAs (calls to motion).
On the flip aspect, if engagement is low, that’s your cue to experiment. Change up the format, strive a unique tone, or shift your focus and see what sticks.
Marketing campaign engagement fee
If you need to understand how a whole social media marketing campaign is touchdown — messaging, publish timing, and creatives — marketing campaign engagement fee provides you the total image.
As a result of campaigns typically span a number of codecs and run over a number of days, this metric can reveal patterns you could not spot whereas taking a look at particular person social media posts alone.
Observe this metric when:
- you are launching a brand new services or products
- you are working a seasonal promotion (Black Friday + Cyber Monday, anybody?)
- you are elevating consciousness on a subject
Methods to use marketing campaign engagement metrics
For manufacturers, marketing campaign engagement fee is a useful option to alter your method mid-campaign. If engagement’s low, you may rethink your subsequent publish or shift your advert spend. It’s additionally a sensible option to take a look at influencer or creator partnerships earlier than making greater commitments in future campaigns.
Creators can embrace robust marketing campaign engagement charges in pitches and media kits. A stable marketing campaign engagement fee exhibits manufacturers that you simply gained’t simply get them in entrance of individuals — you’ll get folks speaking, following, and possibly even shopping for. For a model in search of its subsequent companion, that form of end result stands out.
Platform engagement fee
Platform engagement fee provides you a broader view of how your content material is performing throughout a whole social media platform. If you monitor this over time, you’ll begin to see whether or not your viewers remains to be responding or if engagement is starting to dip.
Observe this metric when:
- you’re evaluating whether or not your general social technique is working or wants a shift
- you need to know if the platform remains to be value your time, or in case your focus could be higher positioned elsewhere
Methods to use platform engagement metrics
If engagement is regular or trending up, it’s an indication that the platform is value continued effort and time.
If it begins to fall, it might imply your content material wants a refresh, your posting rhythm wants tweaking, or your viewers is transferring elsewhere — and it could be value following them.
2. Common video watch time
Common watch time (generally known as common view period) is the variety of seconds folks spend watching your video.
It’s one of many clearest video efficiency metrics — the next common watch time means viewers are sticking round for longer. It issues much more on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, the place watch time influences what will get really helpful or proven to extra folks.
Relying on the platform, you may be capable to monitor common watch time in your full library or simply particular person movies. YouTube provides you each; Instagram Reels focuses on video-by-video efficiency.
Observe this metric when:
- you’re experimenting with completely different video lengths or codecs
- you’re evaluating video content material efficiency throughout platforms
- you need to see which matters or kinds maintain folks watching
Methods to use video engagement metrics
An extended common suggests your content material is working — whether or not it’s the pacing, the subject, or how the video opens. Use that perception to information what you create subsequent.
If persons are dropping off early, take a better have a look at your hook, story construction, or visible pacing. Small changes could make a giant distinction in how lengthy folks keep.
Social media metrics for monitoring your content material’s visibility
Content material can’t make an impression if nobody’s seeing it. Visibility and consciousness metrics allow you to perceive how typically your posts are being proven, and the way far they’re reaching.
1. Attain
Attain tells you what number of completely different folks noticed your publish or advert. Every particular person is counted as soon as, whether or not they noticed that publish one time or 5 occasions.
If a publish has a attain of 15,000, which means 15,000 completely different folks noticed it.
It’s one of many key metrics that Hailley Griffis, Head of Communications and Content material at Buffer, tracks. “Completely different communities and social networks will have interaction in another way, however in case you are reaching an elevated variety of folks, then you definitely’re doing one thing proper,” says Hailley.
Attain helps you evaluate what codecs, matters, or platforms are getting seen probably the most.
Observe attain when:
- you’re testing completely different codecs to see which of them seize extra consideration
- you need to perceive which matters or messages your viewers cares most about
- you need to see if posting at completely different occasions or on completely different days helps you attain extra folks
- you’re reviewing which platforms your viewers is most lively on
Methods to use attain
Identical to you probably did with engagement fee, begin by checking which posts had the best attain, then dig into the context. Was it the subject? The timing? Did somebody share it and lengthen your viewers?
Hailley critiques her attain each couple of weeks to seek out these patterns and make small changes that add up over time.
One factor she’s observed: exhibiting up often makes a distinction. “My attain continues to extend on Threads the extra I keep constant,” says Hailley.
“I’ve noticed the identical sample for different creators too. Whereas my Threads engagement remains to be rising, I’ve additionally seen will increase in general attain in the previous few months of sustaining consistency.”
2. Impressions
Impressions depend what number of occasions your content material is proven on somebody’s display, even when it’s to the identical particular person greater than as soon as.
For instance, say somebody faucets via to an Instagram publish out of your tales after which additionally sees the publish of their feed the subsequent time they open the app. This counts as two impressions, although it’s the identical particular person.
It’s simple to confuse impressions with attain, however they measure various things. Attain tracks what number of distinctive folks noticed your posts. Impressions depend all views, together with repeat ones.
For Meryoli Arias, Head of Social Media at Glide, impressions are a north star metric. “As a social media marketer, my essential focus is top-of-mind relevance. And the quantity of occasions my message and model is in entrance of X quantity of individuals (impressions) helps me with that,” she says.
Observe impressions when:
- you’re testing or evaluating content material codecs
- you’re checking if the algorithm is exhibiting folks your posts
- you’re measuring general model consciousness
Simply remember: a publish can rack up hundreds — even tens of millions — of impressions with out resulting in extra followers or engagement, or assembly your small business aims.
“I had a viral publish that hit 2 million impressions. One thing that took me two minutes to create was being appreciated by so many individuals,” says Meryoli. However regardless of its success, the publish did not do a lot to spice up any of Meryoli’s enterprise targets, like improve click-throughs or sign-ups.
“I realized that virality just isn’t and will by no means be the aim of social media. A very good faucet within the shoulder for the ego doesn’t equal enterprise success.”
Methods to use impressions
Take a look at which codecs, matters, or publish kinds get probably the most impressions, then tweak issues like hashtags, posting schedule, or content material collaborations to construct on what’s working.
In case your impressions begin to slide, it could be time to revisit your content material codecs, take a look at a brand new posting rhythm, or experiment with matters your viewers hasn’t seen from you shortly.
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Viewers metrics provide you with a way of who’s following alongside and the way that group is rising or altering. They allow you to see who’s within the proverbial room, so you realize who to speak to in your content material.
1. Follower development
Follower development tracks what number of new persons are selecting to observe your account over time. It’s probably the most seen social media metrics, and infrequently one of many first numbers folks have a look at when making an attempt to measure progress.
For Meryoli, it’s one other north star metric. She makes use of follower development to see whether or not her content material is reaching new folks and rising her viewers — an indication that it’s drawing consideration and constructing momentum.
Observe this metric when:
- you need to see in case your content material or campaigns are reaching recent eyes
- you are measuring the impression of a latest launch, collaboration, or experiment
- you are setting targets for general model consciousness or group development
Methods to use follower development
Follower development generally is a useful KPI, nevertheless it’s most significant when paired with metrics like engagement and conversions. A rising follower depend by itself doesn’t say a lot about whether or not these followers are taking motion. That’s why it’s generally known as a “vainness metric” — it displays potential attain, not impression.
Use it as a sign, not the ultimate measure of social media success. In case your follower depend goes up however feedback, likes, or clicks aren’t, it could be time to regulate your content material or CTAs to higher have interaction your followers or attain the precise viewers.
2. Viewers demographics
Viewers demographics present you what sorts of individuals make up your viewers — particulars like age, gender, and site.
It’s a easy option to test whether or not you’re attracting your target market. You should utilize that info to create extra content material for the folks already following you and alter your social media technique if it’s worthwhile to attain another person.
Observe this metric when:
- you need to know if you happen to’re attracting your target market
- you are contemplating a shift in content material model or matters and need to test match
- you are getting ready a model or investor pitch or media equipment that wants viewers proof
Methods to use demographics
Manufacturers can use this knowledge to form social media content material for various teams. That may imply altering tone or visuals, adjusting timing, or working focused advertisements primarily based on who’s almost definitely to reply.
If you happen to’re a creator, demographic knowledge can strengthen your pitch to manufacturers. If you present that your viewers traces up with who they’re making an attempt to achieve, you change into a way more interesting companion.
Understanding if — and the way — folks discuss your model might help you see what’s working and the place there’s room to enhance. Social media monitoring and listening instruments make it simple to trace these conversations and see how folks really feel.
1. Model mentions
Model mentions measure how typically your model title pops up in posts, captions, or feedback, whether or not somebody tags your @deal with or simply varieties your title. Not each point out comes with a tag, so if you happen to’re simply counting on notifications, you’re doubtless lacking items of the larger dialog.
You possibly can maintain tabs in your model title, key hashtags, and any phrases related to you throughout completely different social media platforms. There’s no fancy formulation right here — it’s merely the full depend of what number of occasions you’re talked about throughout the time you’re checking for.
Observe this metric when:
- you need to measure model consciousness throughout a number of platforms
- you need to catch early alerts from campaigns, partnerships, or product launches
- you’re protecting a watch out for potential points earlier than they escalate
Methods to use model mentions
Model mentions can present patterns in who’s speaking about you and what will get them sharing. Possibly a marketing campaign hashtag takes off, otherwise you discover extra chatter after a launch or large announcement. This knowledge helps you fine-tune your advert concentrating on, spot potential model advocates, and even join with tremendous followers who’re already cheering you on.
Model mentions additionally play a key position in monitoring model sentiment (developing subsequent), which digs into the temper and emotion behind these conversations.
2. Model sentiment
Model sentiment measures how folks really feel about your model, content material, or product — whether or not their feedback and posts are largely constructive, destructive, or someplace in between.
Whereas mentions let you know how typically your model comes up in dialog, sentiment reveals what’s really being mentioned and the way folks really feel.
Studying via feedback and mentions your self provides you a way of sentiment, however this will get difficult as your viewers grows. Sentiment evaluation instruments might help by reviewing these mentions routinely and tagging the tone behind each.
For instance, “This candle smells unbelievable and lasts for days” would register as constructive. A remark like, “This package deal took ages to reach and got here broken” would lean destructive.
Observe it when:
- you’re checking reactions to a product launch, seasonal marketing campaign, or new collaboration
- you’re seeing a spike in mentions and need to perceive what’s inflicting them
- you’re exploring methods to show constructive sentiment into testimonials or social proof
Methods to use model sentiment
For manufacturers, test sentiment on particular campaigns to see if you happen to’ve nailed it — or if there’s one thing it’s worthwhile to alter. Are clients complaining about delivery occasions? Verify if the difficulty is with the service or inner logistics. Are they sad that you simply’re non-responsive? A instrument like Buffer’s engagement options might help you keep on high of feedback.
For creators, sentiment might help you see which merchandise or sources are actually hitting house. Mix that with metrics like gross sales or click-through charges (extra on this beneath) to determine what to supply subsequent. Are folks loving your behavior monitoring template? A targets template could be a pure subsequent step.
If you happen to’re deciding the place to speculate time or finances, enterprise consequence metrics can level you in the precise course. They allow you to see how your content material is driving outcomes like rising your viewers, growing web site site visitors, or making higher use of your advert spend.
1. Click on-through fee (CTR)
Click on-through fee measures how typically folks click on on a hyperlink after seeing your publish or advert. If you happen to’re sharing a hyperlink to your newest weblog article, product, or signup web page, CTR reveals how efficient your publish is at turning an impression right into a go to.
CTR is expressed as a share you may calculate with this formulation:
Most main social media platforms — together with Fb, LinkedIn, X/Twitter, Threads, and Bluesky — assist clickable hyperlinks in posts. Instagram is a little bit completely different: you may’t add hyperlinks to common posts, however you may add them to tales with hyperlink stickers.
If you happen to use a trackable hyperlink — referred to as a UTM — you’ll find out precisely how many individuals landed in your web site from a selected publish. Rebecca tracks CTR for posts that ship folks off a social media platform to know what’s catching folks’s consideration and prompting them to click on.
CTR isn’t a conversion metric — it gained’t let you know if somebody really purchased these earrings or joined your course. But it surely’s a robust signal your content material is drawing folks one step nearer to your small business aims.
Observe this metric when:
- you need to direct folks a product web page, touchdown web page, or signup kind
- you’re checking whether or not your advert spend is resulting in web site visits
- you need to evaluate how completely different CTAs or headlines carry out
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Methods to use click-through fee
A excessive CTR is an effective signal that your copy, photos, or CTA are piquing your target market’s curiosity. If CTR isn’t the place you hoped, that’s your cue to strive one thing new: tweak your message, refresh your visuals, or experiment with completely different CTAs to see what will get folks clicking.
Manufacturers can use CTR to identify which advertisements or posts are compelling sufficient to get folks to click on via. If a product drop publish isn’t driving many clicks, think about altering up the copy or shifting your concentrating on for the subsequent spherical.
Creators can use a robust CTR as a robust speaking level in model pitches — it proves you may ship actual site visitors, not simply rack up views. If CTR drops, see it as a nudge to change up your publish construction, take a look at new codecs, or experiment with recent methods to encourage clicks.
2. Value-per-click (CPC)
Value-per-click — or CPC — is an ad-specific metric that tells you ways a lot it prices you for every click on in your advert. It’s a helpful option to maintain tabs on how your advertisements are performing when your aim is to carry folks to a selected web page.
As a result of CPC measures price, that is one social media metric the place the next quantity isn’t all the time a very good factor. A decrease CPC, then again, means you’re paying much less every time somebody clicks.
CPC is a core paid social metric and is simple to calculate:
You possibly can calculate CPC for particular person advertisements or have a look at it over a whole marketing campaign.
If you happen to spent $50 on an advert that obtained 100 clicks, your CPC for the advert could be 50 cents — $50/100.
If you happen to spent $500 {dollars} on a marketing campaign that obtained 2,000 clicks, your CPC for the marketing campaign could be 25 cents — $500/2,000.
Observe this metric when:
- you’re working advertisements to drive site visitors to a web site, retailer, or signup web page
- you need to evaluate CPC throughout social media channels to see the place your finances goes additional
- you’re testing advert variations to see which one drives extra clicks for much less
Methods to use cost-per-click
Begin by wanting on the vary of CPC throughout your advertisements. If one model prices extra to get a click on, have a look at the distinction in copy, visuals, or CTA — did one embrace a transparent profit? Was it shorter, extra particular, or higher matched to the viewers? Use this info to regulate new advertisements within the marketing campaign.
Evaluate CPC by platform, too. If one constantly provides you decrease prices, think about shifting extra of your advert spend there or repurposing what labored within the inventive or copy on different channels.
3. Return on advert spend (ROAS)
Return on advert spend (ROAS) measures how a lot you earn for each greenback spent on advertisements. It’s one of many clearest methods to test whether or not your paid campaigns are turning clicks into revenue.
Whereas CPC measures how a lot your advertisements price you, ROAS measures how a lot your advertisements earn you.
Right here’s calculate it:
So, if you happen to made $5,000 from a Fb marketing campaign and spent $1,000 on advertisements, your ROAS could be 500%.
Digital advertising and marketing marketing consultant Laura Holyer considers ROAS (and income) one of many high paid social media metrics to trace.
It’s a platform-specific metric, and each the income and the advert spend knowledge come from the identical place — often the social media platform’s personal monitoring instruments. Which means your numbers could be affected by issues like cookie restrictions or lacking conversion knowledge.
That’s why, says Laura, it’s best to take the numbers “with a pinch of salt” in the event that they’re coming from the platform itself. “Then we have a look at Blended ROAS figures as one of many high metrics,” she says.
As an alternative of taking a look at every platform in isolation, Blended ROAS appears on the greater image: how a lot complete income you’re incomes throughout all channels — natural social media, Google searches, e mail newsletters, paid advertisements — in comparison with what you’re spending on promoting.
Right here’s the formulation for Blended ROAS:
If your small business brings in $8,000 general after spending $1,000 on advertisements throughout all channels, your Blended ROAS is 800%.
Observe this metric when:
- you need to measure whether or not your advert spend is changing into gross sales
- you’re evaluating which channels are bringing in probably the most return
- you’re making an attempt to resolve the place to shift finances or prioritize spend
Methods to use return on advert spend
Use ROAS to identify which campaigns are bringing in gross sales and which of them may want a change in course — whether or not that’s updating the supply, tweaking the inventive, or rethinking the channel.
Laura factors out that the impression of a marketing campaign additionally exhibits up in methods aside from income. If you happen to’re working a model consciousness marketing campaign, you may not see gross sales immediately — however you may discover extra folks trying to find your model. These sorts of shifts present that your campaigns are working, even when it takes folks a little bit longer to behave.
As soon as you realize which metrics to concentrate to, the subsequent step is determining monitor them. Most platforms supply built-in analytics instruments, however there are additionally third-party choices which will supply a extra full view.
Platform native insights
Most social media platforms include built-in analytics, so you may control key metrics with out ever leaving the app.
What you’ll see (and the way a lot element you get) is dependent upon the platform, and generally in your account sort, however practically all of them cowl the fundamentals: impressions, attain, engagement, follower development, and demographic knowledge.
LinkedIn analytics affords these metrics at each the publish and account degree.
Instagram creator and enterprise accounts go even deeper with their analytics. The information breaks down:
- impressions and engagements from followers vs. non-followers
- share of impressions by content material (and viewers) sort
You additionally get knowledge about when your viewers is most lively every day of the week.
X/Twitter analytics are solely out there to premium customers. These detailed metrics embrace each tweet- and account-level impressions, engagement, hyperlink clicks, and follower development. Hyperlink clicks are an necessary metric right here, since tweets immediately assist clickable hyperlinks. Free customers nonetheless get entry to fundamental insights on the tweet degree.
Fb, TikTok, and YouTube all have built-in metrics you need to use to measure your social media efficiency on these channels.
It’s all the time useful to see all these metrics proper the place you create and publish, however there are just a few limitations — network-specific metrics instruments solely present you what’s occurring on that one platform.
If you happen to’re sharing content material on multiple social channel (and likelihood is, you might be), these built-in dashboards aren’t going to provide the entire story. Third-party social media analytics instruments come in useful if you happen to’d prefer to zoom out for a birds-eye view and see how all of your channels stack up collectively.
For a extra full view of your social media efforts, you may need to discover third-party analytics instruments.
Social media analytics instruments
Whereas platform-native metrics are useful, social media analytics instruments provide you with a extra full image of your efficiency — particularly if you happen to’re working throughout a number of platforms. Right here’s why they could be value contemplating.
If you happen to handle a number of social media accounts, third-party analytics instruments prevent bouncing forwards and backwards between apps. You possibly can carry all of your numbers collectively in a single dashboard and get a have a look at how your social media efforts stack up throughout each platform you utilize.
Some instruments — like Buffer — supply each metrics and customized insights. Assume:
- which day of the week your posts do greatest
- what sorts of content material get probably the most engagement
- what number of occasions a day you may need to publish for the most effective outcomes
Monitoring mentions and sentiment is one other large win. Whereas native instruments are sometimes restricted to fundamental social media metrics, many third-party platforms allow you to maintain tabs on these model metrics.
And if you happen to’re placing collectively stories in your group or shoppers, these instruments make that job rather a lot easier. Most supply customizable reporting options so you may create stories that match your particular social media KPIs.
Buffer’s analytics instruments allow you to with detailed, customized metrics and insights that allow you to obtain and measure social media success — you’ll even get suggestions on when, what, and the way a lot to publish primarily based on your knowledge.
Join at this time to try it out without spending a dime. 🥳
