How to Interpret and Deal with Social Media Data

Data is gold. 

However, many companies miss out on opportunities (and money) to use all those numbers to their advantage. 

One of the great advantages of online marketing in general, and Social Media in particular, is a large amount of data available. Social Media is measurable, which makes it relatively easy for entrepreneurs and companies to make informed decisions.

Because of the great amount of data, creating reports to have an overview of total views, clicks, interactions, etc., is quite easy to do. And those can be used to report back to managers. We find that these marketing reports are hardly shared with sales teams for follow-up or HR teams for internal marketing/engagement.

Marketer, get off your island

In many companies, marketers work on an island.

Figures from mailings, the website, and LinkedIn invariably remain within the department. And that's a shame because it becomes interesting to also involve other departments of your company in Social Media. Especially when you're talking about hyperlocal social media marketing and the goal is to drive traffic to stores.

For example, we find that marketing teams speak of MQL (Marketing Qualified Leads) and sales teams speak of SQL (Sales Qualified leads). 

But what would it be like if we threw these together and worked together towards the same goal? Meetings between Marketing, Sales, and HR ensure that common goals are set, and teams align on the entirety of internal and external marketing actions, sharing input on the numbers, feedback on the content, and making adjustments together.

Cross-fertilization with sales and HR often yields the most interesting insights. So our golden tip is: share all figures with everyone.

Reach and engagement

Two important metrics that return in every Social Media analysis are reach and engagement. Of course, it's great that you reach a lot of people with your posts, but it only becomes really interesting when your audience also responds to your content.

The more authentic the content, the better. And by that, we mean fewer "tips and tricks" and more real-life stories.

What conversations have inspired you in the past month? What were frequently asked questions from clients? What quotes have inspired you? What got you thinking, and what things would you also share with your network in a personal conversation? 

You don't have to look far for the topics. What we’ve noticed is that the more mundane and genuine the content, the more interaction. And in case you could use a little kick-start, you can always check out our Social Media Content Calendar.

So, to the regret of those who envy, engagement trumps reach. Do you want to grow on LinkedIn? Then focus on clicks, comments, and shares.

But how do you create content that increases the engagement of your target audience?

• For each post, think of at least three reasons why people should like, share or comment.
• Use the statistics to your advantage. Which posts have done well in the past? This way, you find out which content your target group likes.
• Think creatively about the most successful content by opening this topic in a general meeting, by asking questions at the table during the lunch break, by introducing a creative wall with markers, post-its, a content calendar… to introduce in the refectory or a frequently used conference room.
• Inform employees internally and let them be ambassadors by sharing, liking, and reacting (85% of social media users are influenced by the behavior of their connections).

Follow the numbers

Numbers are worthless if you don't act on them. 

That is why monitoring statistics is important. Who commented on my content? Who shares or likes almost every post? LinkedIn, for example, shows which people have viewed your profile. With this information, your Sales team can start to bring in leads.

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If you're interested in finding out more about this topic, if you wish to tackle a specific project, content pitch, strategy, or simply want to discuss alternative and strategic approaches, don't hesitate to reach out to us!