Passed on 7 April, 2025
7. Measuring success in social media
In this lesson, you’ll learn how to effectively track and analyse social media performance.
✅ Learning objectivesBy the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to:Understand how social media data evaluates campaign success.Learn about tools for tracking and comparing platform performance.Discover how web analytics tracks social media's impact on website actions.
Learning objectives
By the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to:
Understand how social media data evaluates campaign success.
Learn about tools for tracking and comparing platform performance.
Discover how web analytics tracks social media's impact on website actions.
Why measuring success on social media matters
Take a moment to watch this video to learn from Jon, Social and Content Marketing Lead at Google.
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Transcript
Transcript
Using social media data
Social media sites like Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram provide built-in data tools, often called network insights or reports, to help you understand your audience and track engagement. Additionally, tools like Google Analytics can track what happens after users click on your posts, helping you connect social media performance to website actions.
Understanding social media data
Explore key insights that help you track growth, engagement, and audience details.
Social media management tools
Logging into each social media site to manage posts and check reports separately can be time-consuming—that’s where social media management tools with built-in analytics come in. These tools help streamline scheduling, track performance, and analyse engagement.
Key benefits of management tools
Social media management tools help you manage multiple accounts from one place, making it easier to track performance without logging into each platform separately.
Consolidated reports
View all your social media data in one dashboard, allowing you to compare how each platform is performing at a glance.
Cross-platform performance
See which platforms are most effective by comparing engagement, reach, and other metrics across channels.
Meet Alex, vintage store social media specialist
Alex manages Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for a vintage store. With a social media management tool, he can view all engagement and growth in one place, saving time on admin tasks and gaining a clear, combined view of performance. This allows him to focus more on creative work and report results easily.Tip:Search ‘social media management tools’ online to explore the various options available.
Tip:Search ‘social media management tools’ online to explore the various options available.
Tip:Search ‘social media management tools’ online to explore the various options available.
Social media monitoring tools
There’s also another kind of tool that might help you: social media monitoring.
Key benefits of monitoring tools
Social media monitoring tools track what people say about your brand, competitors, and industry trends. These insights can help you improve your products, address feedback, and create content that matches what’s popular.
Track brand mentions in real-time
Monitor mentions of your brand across platforms to see what people are saying and respond quickly when needed.
Competitor analysis
Stay ahead by tracking your competitors’ mentions, spotting trends, and learning what resonates with their audience.
Industry trends
Identify key topics and trends within your industry, so you can join relevant conversations and stay connected.
Enhanced customer service
You can promptly address customer inquiries and concerns, improving satisfaction and loyalty.
Measure Return on investment (ROI)
Track key metrics and engagement rates, helping you see what works and focus on what drives results.
Meet Jasmine, sustainable coffee marketing manager
Jasmine uses a social media monitoring tool to check brand mentions, competitors, and trends like ‘eco-friendly.’ Now she engages in real-time conversations and stays ahead of industry trends, helping her brand stand out.Tip:Search for ‘social media monitoring tools’ to find a solution that matches your needs and budget.
Tip:Search for ‘social media monitoring tools’ to find a solution that matches your needs and budget.
Tip:Search for ‘social media monitoring tools’ to find a solution that matches your needs and budget.
Web analytics tools
To understand what happens after someone clicks on your social media post and visits your website, you'll need a web analytics tool likeGoogle Analytics. These tools help track visitor behaviour, conversions, and which content drives the most engagement.
Key benefits of web analytics
Web analytics tools track what visitors do on your website, helping you see how social media efforts drive traffic, encourage key actions like purchases, and improve overall strategy.
Track visitors
Tools like Google Analytics pick up data as soon as visitors arrive, showing which social media platforms drive traffic to your website.
Measure conversions
Track important actions from social media visitors, such as making a purchase, or signing up for a newsletter.
Content insights
Identify which specific posts or platforms bring the most engaged visitors. Use these insights to refine your social media strategy and focus on what works best.
Improve SEO
Use data to see how visitors find your site and identify opportunities to improve search rankings and grow organic traffic.
Meet Susan, skincare brand manager
Susan usesGoogle Analyticsto track which social media posts drive visits and sales on her website. Now she knows which platforms and posts work best, making her campaigns more effective. Reporting is easier, and her team loves the data-backed results.Tip:Search for ‘analytics tools online’ to find the right tool that fits your needs.
Tip:Search for ‘analytics tools online’ to find the right tool that fits your needs.
Tip:Search for ‘analytics tools online’ to find the right tool that fits your needs.
In summary
Now that you’ve explored social media management, monitoring, and web analytics tools, here’s a quick summary of each to help you remember the key differences.
Check your knowledge
It’s time for you to find out what you’ve learned about customer personas.
Question 1 of 3
Susan, a skincare brand manager, uses a web analytics tool to track which social media posts drive traffic to her website. What key benefit does this provide her?
She can find out which platforms and posts drive sales and sign-ups.
She can identify competitor trends in the skincare industry.
She can schedule posts across multiple platforms.
She can see which products her followers like the most.
Submit
Submit
Yes.Using web analytics tools, Susan can find out which platforms and posts drive sales and sign-ups.
Using web analytics tools, Susan can find out which platforms and posts drive sales and sign-ups.
Question 2 of 3
Jasmine, a marketing manager for a sustainable coffee brand, uses a social media monitoring tool. What is one advantage of this tool for her brand?
It allows her to compare follower growth across social media platforms.
It helps her monitor and join conversations about sustainability trends.
It lets her see how many website visits come from social media.
It schedules her social media posts in advance.
Submit
Submit
Yes.Social media monitoring tools help Jasmine monitor and join conversations about sustainability trends.
Social media monitoring tools help Jasmine monitor and join conversations about sustainability trends.
Question 3 of 3
Alex, a social media specialist for a vintage clothing store, uses a social media management tool. How does this tool benefit his daily workflow?
It allows him to track competitor mentions
It provides insights into the demographics of his followers
It lets him view engagement and growth across all platforms in one dashboard
It helps him run ad campaigns on social media
Show Answer
Show Answer
Not quite.Social media management tools let Alex view engagement and growth across all platforms in one dashboard.
Lesson complete
Good job!You’ve learned why measuring success in social media is important and how to use the right tools to make data-driven decisions. Congratulations on completing theSocial mediamodule!Next up, we’ll dive intoOrganic search.
You’ve learned why measuring success in social media is important and how to use the right tools to make data-driven decisions. Congratulations on completing theSocial mediamodule!Next up, we’ll dive intoOrganic search.
Next up, we’ll dive intoOrganic search.
Next up, we’ll dive intoOrganic search.
Next Path
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