Are Vanity Metrics a Thing of the Past?
Are Vanity Metrics a Thing of the Past?
All over social media, we see people bragging about the "omgz I got 5,000 likes this weekend from that one selfie I took of myself over by the Coachella stage!" metrics that we see might be a thing of the past. Instagram just tested out hiding likes on images in an effort to reduce vanity metrics. In fact, according to that same article, Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter, says that if he were to start Twitter all over again he wouldn't "emphasize the ‘like’ count as much. I don’t think I would even create ‘like’ in the first place, because it doesn’t actually push what we believe now to be the most important thing". That's really powerful coming from the social media giant! With all of this being said, what kind of metrics are being considered as a thing of the past on social media according to experts?
1. Followers
That's right, followers are no longer considered a good measure to have on social media. Yes, you should see if you are growing a stable audience, but you have to consider what your audience motives are for following you. Are they all employees, people you know, or are they, genuine potential customers/clients? If they are following you cause you just you told them to like your page, then they really aren't a good follower to have. Quality over quantity rules on social media! I always like to tell my clients and prospective clients, it's not the number of followers, it's the quality of followers you have. Take a look at your followers on social media, how many of them do you think are genuinely interested in what you offer as a business?
2. Impressions
Again this is sort of piggybacking off of the social media follower rates by asking if the increased amount of impressions per month is considered a vanity metric to have. The answer is yes! This, again, is quality over quantity. How many people are asking questions about the infographic post you've created on Instagram for your service? You might have gotten 5,000 impressions on it, but if you aren't getting any messages from the graphic, it's not worth measuring! You do have to be intentional on everything you do on social media, but using a metric like impressions on your page for that month, isn't doing much for you unless they are all messaging you every single day.
3. Likes
I've said this in the beginning that Instagram seems to be already doing this for some posts, however, they seem to be doing it to the posts that harp on negative body image or unrealistic expectations of certain body types. A survey by TIME magazine showed that Instagram was rated the worst in mental health amongst users. Given that most Instagram users are under the age of 34, with a 15% of those being women in between 18-24 age bracket, it's completely understandable that they would want to create a more positive environment for their users.
What Metrics Can I Use?
These metrics are only there to show you the real opportunities for potential growth within your company's online presence.
Time to check out the competition! Instead of looking at your follower rate, try comparing your follower rate to your competitors. Check out why they might be growing so quickly, and what makes their content better than yours.
Take a look at your engagement rate! While follower rate may do nothing for you, it might be worthwhile to take a look at your stats on each social media page. Check out which post has the most likes and comments. Hint: it's usually the posts that engage the most feeling that gets the most engagement. Posts involving pets or animals, an inspiring story, or a funny meme all do really well on social media!
Shares vs Likes. People may like your post or view your post, but how many are actually sharing it, retweeting it or reposting it (with your permission of course)? We've all heard, the more impressions the better, not necessarily true unless they are also sharing it with their audience. That audience has to be relevant to you at the end of the day.
Take a Look at Your Goals!
What kind of goals do you have for social media this year? Is it to get more followers or more relevant followers? Maybe you should focus on creating an engaged community of small superfans of your business. Create a group on Facebook, like an exclusive club just for the biggest fans of your service or product. If you are relatively new to your business and don't have the following just yet, create a list of people from your last event that you put together, or even from your email list and add them to this free Facebook group (or Instagram pod) that you've created. You can offer free advice, or the latest news on a new product or exclusive offers that only they can get for being a part of this awesome group. This is just one of many ideas you can do to create a great referral base right on social media!
Need Help?
Creating a social media marketing strategy isn't easy when you are the CEO and when you haven't been paying attention to it as you should be, it can fall by the wayside. This is where SPB Productions can come in and pick up where you and your team left off. I can help you create a customized strategy that works for you, so you can see growth, with pages that are engaging and even fun to be on! Are you looking to get your pages noticed on social media? Schedule your FREE consultation call with me today to learn more!