Key performance indicators (KPIs) are quantifiable measures used to evaluate the success of an organization in meeting objectives. Aligning the right KPIs with your social media strategy objectives will help you measure the impact of your actions to achieve your goals. Be mindful when selecting the correct KPIs; there are limits to using vanity metrics to meet overall objectives.
It is important to make sure the social media KPIs you select can be directly tied to the command priorities. Most commanders will be looking for how a KPI is directly linked to measurable results.
Social media KPIs to consider:
- Audience Sentiment: Measurement of tone, feeling and context of actions your audience takes when reacting to your brand
- Clicks: How often do people act on your post
- Click-Through Rate: The frequency that people react to your call to action (CTA) by clicking the link provided
- Comments: The number of written responses to the content shared in public
- Conversion Rate: The rate that visitors to your website complete a designated call to action
- Direct Messages: The amount of written communication with your social media account in private
- Engagement Rate: The number of reactions, comments and shares that your posts receive relative to each other
- Frequency: How often you post content
- Impressions: The number of times people see your content
- Issues Resolved: The rate you resolve your audience's brand-related issues
- Mentions: The number of times people refer to your brand in social media conversations
- New Followers: The number of subscribers to your social media feed since your last analysis
- Reach: The total number of people who view your content
- Share of Voice (SOV): The percentage of space your brand commands in relevant social conversations
- Shares: How often do people repost your content
- Web Traffic: The number of visitors to your website
These KPIs are most valuable when aligned to your social media strategy SMART objectives. Some example objectives are gaining exposure, generating interaction, promoting advocacy, spurring innovation, facilitating support or fostering dialogue. For each, explore which KPIs to track and a measurable example.
Pick the Right KPIs
Use labels along the top to progress through scenarios. Click the learn more button for more in-depth information.
Pick the Right KPIs
- Click-Through Rate
- Frequency
- Impressions
- New Followers
- Reach
- Web Traffic
Exposure
A primary goal of social media is to gain exposure and increase brand awareness. Gaining exposure and raising brand awareness means gaining more visibility with your target audience.
Related KPIs to Track
• Click-Through Rate
• Frequency
• Impressions
• New Followers
• Reach
• Web Traffic
A Measurable Example
Objective: Increase awareness of the unit training exercise or new capability in your niche.
KPI Measurement
More than 5,000 people commented, reacted and shared the initial post highlighting the units new weapons system.
Observation
Multiple media outlets helped in covering the story for civilian and military news stories and broadcast.
Recommendation
Continue to utilize and track the media coverage and conversations across digital media that impact the reputation of the unit based on this new capability.
Exposure
Pick the Right KPIs
- Clicks
- Comments
- Engagement Rate
- Mentions
- Reactions
- Shares
Interaction
Generating interactions is your organization's ability to persuade visitors and followers into responding to your social media calls to action, whether it's visiting your website, downloading information or engaging with you online.
Related KPIs to Track
• Clicks
• Comments
• Engagement Rate
• Mentions
• Reactions
• Shares
A Measurable Example
Objective: Determine the best images for the year or submitting questions for an upcoming town hall event.
KPI Measurement
Visitor response on selecting best image received X number of responses online.
Observation
Images on website received 10% increase in visits following posts. These posts also received 35% more engagement than other informational posts on social platforms.
Recommendation
Continue to target messaging through this avenue, solicit feedback and adjust tactics.
Interaction
Pick the Right KPIs
- Audience Sentiment
- Comments
- Direct Messages
- Issues Resolved
- Shares
Advocacy
Promoting advocacy enlists the support and dedication of individuals who are ambassadors for certain brands and organizations without having an official "social media" connection. When your audience is satisfied with your content, they will publicly show their support and loyalty to your brand.
Related KPIs to Track
• Audience Sentiment
• Comments
• Direct Messages
• Issues Resolved
• Shares
A Measurable Example
Objective: Increase shares and retweets of content posted on social media channels.
KPI Measurement
40% of shares and retweets were from military members.
Observation
Community conversation online suggest support of organizations messaging, generating 80% positive comments.
Recommendation
Continue to monitor and facilitate conversations in comment sections in order to relay transparency and appreciation to viewers of content.
Advocacy
Pick the Right KPIs
- Click-Through Rate
- Comments
- Conversion Rate
- Direct Messages
- Web Traffic
Innovation
Innovation is a byproduct of engaging in social media. Organizations that are truly listening to their audience take cues from social media comments, suggestions and conversations to source and identify unit needs, service requirements and other innovative opportunities.
Related KPIs to Track
• Click-Through Rate
• Comments
• Conversion Rate
• Direct Messages
• Web Traffic
A Measurable Example
Objective: Generate three viable leads on ways to reinvent recruiting top talent to protect and defend the U.S. within six months.
KPI Measurement
75% completion rate of form that solicits ideas on ways to recruit top talent.
Observation
Ideas generated included several viable options; 10% were new ideas.
Recommendation
Request approval to plan, implement and evaluate at least one of the new recruitment ideas.
Innovation
Pick the Right KPIs
- Audience Sentiment
- Comments
- Direct Message
- Issues Resolved
- New Followers
- Reach
- Share of Voice
Support
Your audience will develop impressions of an organization or brand based on your ability to respond in a timely manner and upon the quality of your answers. To facilitate support, focus on listening and learning while responding to your audience.
Related KPIs to Track
• Audience Sentiment
• Comments
• Direct Message
• Issues Resolved
• New Followers
• Reach
• Share of Voice
A Measurable Example
Objective: Improve the sentiment and overall satisfaction of recently deployed Airmen, civil service members and their families towards integrating within a new country by 25% in the next three months.
KPI Measurement
During a community relations event, social media posts about the activities generated over 1,000 positive comments and 100 positive direct messages.
Observation
Saw an increased number of military personnel and their families participating in installation-sponsored community relation events off the post.
Recommendation
Continue posting during community relations activities to assist service personnel and their families connect to their new environment.
Support
Pick the Right KPIs
- Comments
- Impressions
- Mentions
- Reach
- Share of Voice
- Web Traffic
Dialog
Dialogue involves starting a conversation and offering your audience something to talk about while allowing that conversation to take on a life of its own. Create a post that generates conversations in which people learn from each other and inspire more interesting thoughts and constructive actions. Increasing the number of people who see your post ideally results in new followers.
Related KPIs to Track
• Comments
• Impressions
• Mentions
• Reach
• Share of Voice
• Web Traffic
A Measurable Example
Objective: Shift culture within the unit to be comfortable and open about discussing mental health during mental health awareness month.
KPI Measurement
X post with links to mental health resources were viewed by over 20,000 people during that month.
Observation
During that month, the number of visitors to the mental health resources linked in the posts had tripled in comparison to the last three months.
Recommendation
Increase frequency of posting mental health related posts throughout the year.
Dialog
References
Block Club. n.d. Pick the right KPIs for your social media objectives. Block Club.