How to Read Social Analytics Like a Pro: A Balanced Approach
As much as numbers are not my thing, I believe that understanding social analytics is essential for any marketer, brand, or content creator!
Analytics offer insights that can help you transform your approach to content creation and drive success.
Nick de la Force, Co-founder
At Vidzero we’ve seen this first-hand that It’s incredibly important not to lose sight of the real people behind the numbers. Focusing solely on data can create a disconnect, so this guide will help you strike the perfect balance between data-driven decision-making and nurturing genuine relationships with your audience.
Step 1: Define Your Goals—Beyond the Numbers
Before diving into data, it’s essential to identify your social media goals. What are you trying to achieve? Whether it’s brand awareness, increased engagement, lead generation, or sales, your goals will dictate which metrics matter most. However, it’s not just about the metrics—consider how you want to engage with your audience on a human level.
Think about community-building alongside engagement rates. How can you start conversations, build trust, and add value for your audience? Don’t just track followers; pay attention to what they’re saying. Sentiment analysis and reading comments can provide context that raw numbers can't.
Step 2: Understand Key Metrics—But Look for the Story They Tell
Analytics can give you a clear picture of how your content is performing, but always remember that behind every click, share, or comment is a person. Here are the key metrics to consider and the human aspect to keep in mind:
Engagement Metrics: Likes, comments, shares, and saves are valuable, but look deeper. What topics spark meaningful conversation? Are there common themes in the comments? Listen to the feedback your community is providing.
Reach and Impressions: Reach is the number of unique users who see your content, while impressions count total views. Use this data to understand visibility, but don’t forget to engage with those who react to your posts. Visibility is great, but personal interaction builds loyalty.
Follower Growth: Track your follower increase or decrease over time, but prioritize quality over quantity. A smaller, engaged audience that you interact with regularly is often more valuable than a large, passive following.
Step 3: Use Platform-Specific Analytics Tools—And Monitor Your Community’s Pulse
Each social media platform offers its own analytics dashboard. These native tools are a great place to start for understanding how your content is performing, but they should complement—not replace—personal interaction:
Instagram: Use Instagram Insights to get data on reach, engagement, and follower demographics, but also make time to respond to DMs and comments. Show your audience there’s a real person behind the account.
Facebook: Facebook Insights provide page metrics, post performance, and audience behavior. Use this data to guide your strategy, but don’t neglect the personal touch—join Facebook groups, engage in discussions, and reply to every comment.
YouTube: YouTube Studio Analytics gives you detailed information on video performance. Pay attention to the numbers, but also engage with viewers in the comments, ask questions, and thank them for their input.
TikTok: TikTok Pro Analytics reveals video trends and audience demographics. Use it to understand your audience, but don’t forget to be authentic and relatable in your content.
Step 4: Look for Patterns Over Time—And Focus on Consistency, Not Just Trends
Instead of focusing on daily or weekly data, analyze trends over a month or quarter. Patterns can reveal the best times to post, but remember that consistency in your engagement matters just as much as timing.
If certain content trends, try to understand why it resonates. Is it a specific topic, tone, or visual style? Use that insight to engage with your audience on a deeper level. Don’t just follow trends blindly—stay true to your brand’s voice and values. If a trend doesn’t align with your community, skip it and create content that speaks to your audience’s true interests.
Step 5: Segment Your Data—And Tailor Your Interactions
Breaking down data can help you understand your audience and content performance better, but it should also guide how you engage with different segments of your community:
By Demographics: Use demographic data to adjust your communication style. Different groups may prefer different types of engagement, so consider how you address their specific needs and interests.
By Post Type: See if videos outperform static images or if carousel posts drive more engagement, then interact accordingly. For example, if stories are getting higher engagement, use that space to ask questions or host a Q&A session.
By Engagement: Identify the posts that generate the most likes, shares, or comments, and use that insight to inform your future content while continuing the conversation in the comments section.
Step 6: Dive Deep into Content Analysis—But Be Ready to Connect
Use analytics to identify top-performing content, but don’t stop there—interact with those who engage with it. Build a relationship around what works:
Content Types: Are images, videos, stories, or reels getting the most interaction? Use this to guide content creation, but continue to ask your audience what they want to see more of.
Topics and Hashtags: Pay attention to which topics generate the highest engagement, but don’t forget to reply to questions and engage with those using your hashtags.
Call-to-Actions (CTAs): Analyze which CTAs encourage clicks, but remember that personal responses to those clicks—like a quick thank you—make a difference in retaining loyal followers.
Step 7: Benchmark Your Performance—But Remember the People Behind the Data
Benchmarking is about comparing your performance against past data or industry standards. It’s a useful way to measure progress, but never lose sight of the people who contribute to your metrics:
Don’t just aim to beat industry standards—focus on deepening your connection with your audience. Celebrate milestones with your followers. Whether you hit a follower count or achieve an engagement goal, let your community be a part of the celebration.
Step 8: Utilize UTM Parameters—And Understand How They Affect Your Audience
UTM parameters are small pieces of text you add to a URL to track where your website visitors are coming from. They help you see which specific ads, posts, or campaigns bring people to your site. When someone clicks a link with UTM parameters, that information is captured in tools like Google Analytics. You can then see exactly how many visitors came from each source—like a Facebook ad or an email newsletter.
Use UTM data to understand which campaigns resonate with your audience, but avoid bombarding them with repetitive content just because it drives clicks. Keep your content fresh and relevant. If a campaign performs well, engage directly with those who participated—thank them for being part of your journey.
Step 9: Focus on Context, Not Just Numbers—Make It Personal
Numbers alone don’t provide the full story. Always interpret data in the context of your goals, but also in the context of human interaction.
A post with fewer likes but higher share rates might indicate it's valuable. Use that as an opportunity to ask for feedback and start a conversation about what your audience wants to see more of. Context also means understanding the sentiment behind comments and reactions. Use that understanding to shape your responses and content choices.
Step 10: Experiment, Track, and Adjust—While Building Relationships
Your social media strategy should be a continuous cycle of testing and learning. Use data to guide experiments, but let personal interactions inform your adjustments.
Engage with your audience as you experiment. Let them know when you’re trying something new, and ask for feedback. If you test a new format or style, be transparent. Tell your followers why you’re making a change, and invite them to join the process.
Step 11: Visualize Your Data with a Dashboard—But Keep It Accessible
A visual dashboard can make data more digestible, but it’s crucial to balance that data with a real-world understanding of your community.
Use dashboards to track key metrics, but supplement them with anecdotes and stories about your community’s engagement. Numbers may tell you what’s happening, but stories tell you why. Share your insights with your audience. If you learn something valuable from your analytics, use it as a chance to connect—maybe by sharing a post about how your audience has influenced your strategy.
Step 12: Stay Updated on Platform Algorithms—Without Losing Authenticity
Algorithms constantly change, but your commitment to your audience should remain steady. Keep up with the latest updates, but don’t let them dictate every move.
Test new features as they roll out, but only if they fit your brand and community. Engage with your audience about algorithm changes. If a new feature affects how they see your content, explain it and show them how they can stay connected with you.
But… Focus on Relationships First, Data Second
Reading social analytics isn’t about collecting data—it’s about understanding the people who create that data. Prioritize genuine relationships with your audience, and use analytics to guide—not dictate—your strategy. Ask yourself: What can I learn from this data, and how can I use it to better connect with my community? By balancing data-driven insights with real human connection, you can continuously refine your strategy, create meaningful content, and foster loyal relationships.
Ready to Build a Data-Driven, People-Centered Strategy?
Social analytics may seem overwhelming at first, but by focusing on the people behind the numbers, you’ll be able to make data-driven decisions that not only improve your social media performance but also create a community of engaged and loyal followers. Happy analyzing!
