Not sure how to measure success on Facebook? Start with 10 actionable Facebook metrics to show you how your content strategy is performing (or to help create a strategy), what your editorial calendar should be and where you should focus your effort to get more fans.
1. Number of Likes
Month over month look for spikes in your growth. Not sure if you are growing your Facebook fans fast enough? Use socialbakers.com to see the percentage growth of Facebook fans for others in your category.
2. Average Interactions
Combine Content Likes and Content Comments together for an average. Increase number of Facebook posts around topics your audience is engaged in, decrease posts around those they aren’t. Make immediate decisions around content strategy and editorial calendar. Watch for unusual spikes or drops.
3. Attrition Rate
Daily Unlikes/Daily Fan Count. Watch for spikes and correlate with activity on page, tells how many Facebook fans are leaving you. There is a natural ebb and flow so focus on significant changes only.
4. Internal Referrers
Tells you where the traffic to your page comes from. You want to increase exposure to your Facebook page on the other Facebook pages that bring you the most traffic.
5. External Referrers
Just like internal referrers, but tells you the external sites bringing you traffic. Focus on building more traffic from the top performers.
6. Pageviews
See if any change to your Facebook page (such as the information or the way it is presented) results in more views. Compare to pageviews on your website.
7. Impressions
Stream Views (impressions) tells you how many times did people (fans and non-fans) view a News Feed story posted by your page. Impressions is a great metric to compare other media tactics apples to apples.
8. Active Users
Tells you how many people (fans and non-fans) have interacted with or viewed your page or its posts.
9. Gender and Age
Is your Facebook content targeted to the right audience? Using the correct tone and language for your demographic? If you understand the demographics of your fans, you will know the answers.
10. City
Look for active local markets for special promotions, test marketing, etc. Or even uncover new markets.
Ideally, you will want to qualify how much money Facebook is making you. While it is “free” there is a maintenance cost in resources. Ultimately you want to have a positive ROI on your Facebook investment. It is possible, conversions can happen both on Facebook and, more typically, off Facebook on your own website. Strong call-to-actions in your Facebook posts will help drive users to action.
We help our clients measure the success of Facebook everyday with our customized reporting solution. What gets them really excited, and what you should think about too, is including Facebook metrics in your cross-channel marketing measurement reporting. Facebook is just another tactic along with Paid Search, Organic Search, Banner ads and Direct Mail. Look at these metrics lined up side by side and really begin to see the combined success and power of your integrated marketing campaigns.