You know the stats: there are billions of social media users around the world. And many of these people are using multiple channels across two or more devices. On the one hand, this is great news because it means that as a marketer, you have a range of options for reaching your target customers. But the trend is also creating a tracking and analytics nightmare. How do you develop a single view of the person you’re trying to reach, especially when that data remains fragmented across social channels? You guesstimate. You look at the high-level stats that social media networks give you. You piece together your own story — which may nor may not be accurate.
Without the right analytics strategy, social media can feel like a guessing game. So where should you invest your mental energy? We interviewed five brilliant marketers to answer that question.
1. Connect the dots to form a big picture.
Pro tip: Derric Hayne, head of growth at Rebrandly
“Assuming the marketer is working hard at analyzing their results, they still have a very tough problem: tracking users and attributing their efforts through to conversions. Social media is one channel, but it’s usually not the main channel. You can use click and link tracking software to better understand clicks and conversions, but that doesn’t necessarily help you visualize the other touch points that assisted in converting a prospect. That doesn’t help you understand why people are doing what they’re doing. To better track and attribute your efforts, you have to have great software backing you, and you have to come out of the silo of social media, and integrate completely with the rest of the digital marketing team (and marketing, and company as a whole).”
Takeaway: If you’re looking at your social media analytics in a vacuum, they’re probably confusing you. Build a comprehensive picture of your buyers’ journeys. You’ll have a much clearer view of the role that social media plays.
2. Use data to respond faster.
Pro tip: Jehan Hamedi, founder of Cuckoo by Adhark
“Social media has a fast-changing complexion, and most businesses miss out on the best opportunities to reach their customers because they don’t get the answers they need, when they need them. When startups are looking at conceptualizing a social media marketing campaign to help create or build their brand, they need to look at events and happenings in real time so they can provide timely, relative content and join in on the conversations their target audiences are currently engaging in.”
Takeaway: Use data to keep a close pulse on…
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