Social Media Advertising and its Metrics

Kimberly Curry | @KimIsBlessed_93 What is the point of using social media ads if their success isn't measurable? Social media advertising is the new big thing.  Companies spend a bunch of money on these ads and they want to know if they're working. That’s where analytics come in. There are many different ways to measure success.

First things first, think about what you want to measure. You may want to track the number of clicks, likes, shares, comments or joiners your campaign is generating.  All these things, and more, are measurable.

After you decide what you want to measure you need to find a good analytics tool. A popular one is Google Analytics. Some social media sites, like Facebook, have built-in analytics tools. Sites like Twitter have certified outside marketing and analytics programs available for your convenience.

Measuring how much you spend on a cost-per-click campaign vs. how many successful conversions you have is a great start to quantify your success. You can also see how much time someone spends on your page after they click on your ad, which is called a click-through rate. According to Jon Loomer, a click-through rate of about 1% is good. Next, you want to measure your clicks vs. your connections. We all know not everyone who clicks on your ad is going to become a fan on Facebook but trying to keep that rate up is ideal.

In conclusion, in order to have a successful social media campaign you need to keep a balance between spending and generating new fans, conversions, and high click-through rates.

Now tell us… how do you measure the success of your social media advertising?