Social Media Metrics And KPIs: Everything You Need To Know

Want to learn more about social media metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs)? I’ve got you covered.

As any social media marketer will tell you, if you want to succeed on social media, you need to keep a close eye on the data.

In this post, I’ll break down the most important social media metrics and KPIs worth tracking, explain what they measure, and show you how they can help you optimize your strategy.

But first, let’s start with the basics…

What are social media metrics?

Social media metrics are data points you can use to analyze your performance on social media and measure your progress toward your goals. They track things like reach, engagement, growth, and conversions.

Why they matter

Every creator, brand, and marketer on social media should be tracking social media metrics. Here’s why:

• Measure performance. Metrics reveal how well your social media posts, ads, and profiles are performing.
• Prove ROI (return on investment). Tracking and reporting on metrics allows you to demonstrate the impact of your social media efforts on wider business goals to shareholders and clients.
• Identify trends. Spot emerging patterns in audience behavior and platform algorithms and use this to inform your efforts.
• Optimize strategy. Gather strategic insights to guide your future social media strategy and make data-driven decisions.
• Benchmark against competitors. Compare your social media metrics to other creators/brands or industry standards to see how you stack up.

How to track social media metrics & KPIs

You’ll need the right tools to track social media metrics.

Most social media platforms come with native analytics tools that offer basic, network-specific metrics.

For example, Meta Business Suite gives you standard performance metrics for Facebook and Instagram (e.g. reach, engagement, audience demographics, etc.). 

Likewise, TikTok, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn all offer their own internal analytics tools.

However, these are all very limited. You don’t get access to the kind of advanced metrics and detailed insights that you need to measure the true impact of your social efforts.

That’s why I’d recommend using a third-party social media analytics tool instead. SocialBee and Social Status are both good choices.