VIEWS, LIKES, COMMENTS, FOLLOWER COUNT…
These are all that would be considered vanity metrics and often are the wrong metrics that people get hung up on. But before I tell you why, let’s go over why these are called vanity metrics.
What are vanity metrics?
To put it simply, vanity metrics are metrics that are surface-level. They tend to appear great on the surface, but when taking a closer look, they don’t always generate results. Now, this isn’t to say that they aren’t important. They are important and they should play a part in crafting your social strategy, but it’s important to remember they aren’t everything.
Why does everyone seem to focus on vanity metrics?
Most of the time, it’s a lack of information. We have to remember that as social media evolves, so do its users. We also get it! Who doesn’t want to go viral these days or have thousands on thousands of likes? It looks great to the outside eye and oftentimes people want that instant gratification. Now, we have seen a shift of people realizing that vanity metrics aren’t everything, but it is going to take time for it to be more common.
What about these vanity metrics should you focus on?
Views: We hate to break it to you. Views can be hit or miss. While you may have a lot of views, it is important to consider where those views are coming from and what type of content brought those views in.
Likes: These are an indication that your audience is resonating with your content. Consider creating similar but know that they aren’t the only metric you should be looking at.
Comments: Comments are great! They provide community. What is most important though is cultivating those relationships with your audience. Make sure that you are taking the time to respond to comments with intention.
Follower Count: As social media has evolved, this is probably the vanity metric that is most commonly known now as not being as important as it seems. A high follower count is great and is something to be celebrated! But make sure you are monitoring that audience. Are they active? Are they bots? It’s better to have followers that engage and resonate with your content than a huge empty number that doesn’t participate or convert.
The main takeaway…
When reviewing your strategy and taking a look at your analytics, it’s always a good idea to take a look at the bigger picture and see how your metrics are performing alongside each other. There are many other vanity metrics and there isn’t one correct answer when it comes to analyzing. It is more so a matter of understanding what your data means and then using that information to create a quality strategy that will help you succeed on socials.
Curious about all the other data? Stay tuned for a blog on actionable metrics and their importance!
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