Analytics, analysis and assessment are three distinct phases of the social media evaluation process that are often mistakenly used and discussed interchangeably. Knowing the difference, what to do for each phase and who should conduct each phase creates a more cohesive and thorough evaluation of your social media and overall communication strategy.
1. Analytics Phase
Analytics is the systematic computation or compilation of raw data or metrics. This phase involves gathering and visualizing data to show trends and patterns. The analytics phase should occur continuously because data on social media is constantly collected. Knowing where to look and how to keep track of the data is the key to conducting this phase effectively.
Use social media monitoring programs or embedded platform tools, such as Facebook Insights, to gather raw data or metrics. While these tools and programs are helpful, they do not replace the human eye. The people in charge of the analytics phase should:
- Schedule time daily to look at data and reactions.
- Possess platform knowledge (i.e., know what they're looking at, the audience the data is coming from and what to do with the data after collection).
- Demonstrate statistical expertise and proficiency with big data tools.
- Seek out hard numbers, visualizations and calculations of key performance indicators for commanders (e.g., penetration rate, engagement rate, conversation sentiment, number of impressions).
- Communicate the benefits and limitations of data or metrics.
Analytics, when done properly, is a representation of how well your social media strategy is working.
Applied Example
Below is an image of what some raw data might look like for metrics on two hashtag campaigns to gain social media attention for PAVILION. The first campaign uses the hashtag #OneStopPAVILION and the other uses the tag #KnowYourWhy. Each campaign metric includes data columns for top themes, sentiment, mentions by country, associated hashtags, embedded media type and sources.
2. Analysis Phase
The analysis phase involves asking and answering questions to understand what's working, what's not working and where your audience stands. This is a strategic process of tracking the information environment and extracting key insights about your social media performance. These key insights highlight trends in the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors you're trying to track and change among your audience.
The social media manager or someone with in-depth knowledge of social media and the command's mission should conduct the analysis. This person must be able to:
- Ask meaningful questions.
- Draw conclusions based on the exploration of the analytics.
- Communicate insights to the public affairs officer or communication strategy officer.
Analysis should occur frequently. Determine this frequency for your unit, whether weekly, biweekly or monthly.
Applied Example
Based on the raw data below, consider basic questions to begin the analysis phase. Note: Each letter and question corresponds to the matching letter in the image below.
A. Why is the audience in Japan the second largest for both hashtags?
B. What aspects of video content keep the audience engaged?
C. Why does using #onestopPAVILION and #KnowYourWhy in the same post lead to more or less reach with the audience?
Below are the metrics from the table that correspond with the questions above.
A. #OneStopPAVILION shows Japan at 2.20% and #KnowYourWhy shows Japan at 1.53%
B. #OneStopPAVILION embedded media type of video at 70.60% and #KnowYourWhy embedded media type of video at 20.40%
C. #OneStopPAVILION at 988,849 topic reach with the associated tag of #KnowYourWhy at 13.80% and #KnowYourWhy at 24,393 topic reach with the associated tag of #OneStopPAVILION at 10.40%
3. Assessment Phase
The assessment phase takes the conclusions from the analysis and improves the overarching strategy to impact the audience's knowledge, attitudes and behaviors. Assessment should occur holistically, examining all pieces of the communication plan and adjusting accordingly to meet the command's mission.
Before a social media evaluation occurs, public affairs professionals or communication strategy officers should understand and know how the social media strategy ties together with the overall communication plan. Communication professionals use operational experience, digital listening, context, media evaluations and insights from the team, to make informed judgments to improve all areas of the communication plan, including the social media strategy. Determine this frequency for your unit, whether quarterly, bi-annually or annually.
Applied Example
With the questions and insights provided (displayed and noted in the previous applied example) by the social media manager and the site manager, the PAVILION PA professional noticed patterns and trends between social media and the site itself. They concluded the following after looking at all analyses from their team:
- With the increased following out of Japan on social media and the site itself, we need to create and promote more learning resources for PAVILION that cover environmental disasters in Japan to provide more resources to this part of the public affairs/visual information community and increase our following in that area of the world.
- After a video was posted on PAVILION's social media account, there was an increase in visitation to the PAVILION site. Because of this, we need to:
- Update the social media content calendar to incorporate more content that features resources with video.
- Increase the budget to produce more learning resources that include video.
Big Data and The Three A's
Big data can play an important role in all three phases of the evaluation process. Big data is the massive collection of data sets across digital platforms and is defined by the 5 V's: volume, velocity, variety, veracity and value. Assessment leverages the insight of multiple big data sets to provide a robust and holistic view of your social media strategy.
Computationally analyze big data to reveal patterns, trends and associations, especially relating to human behaviors. Use these insights to help you understand how well your strategy is or is not working and answer the questions posed during the analysis phase.