Analytics 101
Analytics. This word usually leaves people completely confused, especially when you begin clicking around in backends. Tons of charts and reports that make absolutely no sense to the untrained eye is enough to scare anyone away. But, the reality is that analytics are the most important component of any digital marketing strategy. Don’t put your head in the sand and ignore it!
It’s high time you faced it all head-on, and we’ve rounded up some basic terminology and strategies for you so that you can dive in and understand your audience a little bit better.
Key terms
Reach
What is it: The number of unique accounts that have seen your content
How can I improve this number: Gain more followers and up your engagement game – the more accounts looking at you, the more this number will go up
Impressions
What is it: The number of times your content has been seen
How can I improve this number: Create engaging content for your followers to interact with that will boost your posts in the algorithm and put it in front of more and more people
Engagement
What is it: The number of times your content has had likes, shares or comments (all combined). Add your total engagement (likes + comments +shares), divide it by your total followers, multiply that number by 100 and voila – there is your engagement rate!
How can I improve this number: The possibilities are endless here, but it all begins with quality content. Make sure your content is giving your followers a reason to engage with it, and that it is pleasing to the eye.
Page Views
What is it: The number of times your profile page has been viewed by accounts that follow you, don’t follow you, logged in or logged out
How can I improve this number: Put your profile out there in more places – this can be through engaging with other accounts, running ad sets or by influencer marketing. Also, make sure that your Page Preview (below) is engaging enough for people to want to click on.
Page Previews
What is it: The number of times people have hovered over your page name to see what you’re all about
How can I improve this number: Same idea as Page Views – get your profile out there!
Actions on Page
What is it: Literally, actions taken (clicks made) on your page
How can I improve this number: Give your followers an interesting and engaging Call to Action that will leave them wanting more.
Strategic Spaghetti
While these can be simple takeaways for improving your analytics, it is important to remember that marketing can take a bunch of Strategic Spaghetti in order to shift gears and really get it going. While we do perform research on your industry, competitor analysis and understand what the newest, industry-standard trends are, a lot of time is spent mindfully throwing around new ideas to see what might break through.
There’s no absolute science to marketing – you hire a marketing professional for their overall strategy, vision and style in combination with their expert knowledge. If their style meshes with yours, then you have a good fit. Either way, marketers like to be able to try new things and see what works – it is a pure joy of the job! – and you should too. Don’t be afraid to try new things and throw the Strategic Spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks! It just might surprise you.
