3 Critical Guidelines For Effectively Using Social Media Metrics

1. #SMX #23B @travisbernard
3 Critical Guidelines For Effectively
Using Social Media Metrics
Travis Bernard

2. #SMX #23B @travisbernard
Who am I?
• Audience Development at AOL
• Drive traffic to AOL’s sites
using social media
• Work with brands like
TechCrunch, Engadget,
Autoblog, Daily Finance, and
The Huffington Post
• Previously worked on the ad
agency side, supporting clients like
• National Guard
• Walt Disney Studios
• NBC
• NFL Players Association
Travis Bernard

3. 3 guidelines for using social
media metrics
3

4. #SMX #23B @travisbernard
#1 – Figure out the goal first
• Don’t pick the metrics and
tactics first
• Decide on the goal first
• The goal will dictate the
metrics and tactics to use

5. #SMX #23B @travisbernard
#2 – Use “cause” metrics to test and
refine strategies and tactics

6. #SMX #23B @travisbernard
#3 – Analyze “cause” metrics, but
report on “effect” metrics
Cause metrics = data points or
indicators that help guide you
towards the goal
Effect metrics = Key performance
indicators (KPIs) or big picture goals
that allow you to track where you are
now vs. then
Examples of cause metrics
• Reach and impressions
• Engagement
• Clicks
• Fans or followers added
• Posts per day
• Mentions by hour
• Post type
• Audience demographics
• Usage by device
Examples of effect metrics
• Sale or purchase
• Site traffic
• Sign up or acquisition
• Brand education or awareness
• Sentiment

7. #SMX #23B @travisbernard
Recap
• Figure out the goal first
• Use “cause” metrics to test and refine strategies
and tactics
• Analyze “cause” metrics, but report on “effect”
metrics

8. 3 examples of what we can do
with social metrics
8

9. #SMX #23B @travisbernard
Example #1
• Problem:
• Traffic from Facebook has been
declining since the beginning of the
year
• Goal:
• Increase entries and page views
from Facebook
• Tactic:
• Analyze engaged users, link clicks,
and reach by post type
• Shift post type balance to improve
reach, engaged users, and link
clicks
• More link clicks means more traffic

10. #SMX #23B @travisbernard
Example #1
% of Posts by Type
Which Post Type
Reaches the Most
Users?
180,000
162,322
160,000
44%
140,000
120,000
100,000
55%
80,000
60,000
59,831
51,921
40,000
20,000
1%
0
Average Reach
Links
Text/Status
Photos
Source: Simply Measured 1/1/13 – 5/25/13
Links
Text/Status
Photos

11. #SMX #23B @travisbernard
Example #1
Which Post Type
Engages the Most
Users?
3,459
3,500
3,000
1,341
1,200
1,000
2,500
2,000
1,600
1,400
3,795
4,000
Which Post Type Drives
More Traffic?
800
1,703
600
1,500
400
1,000
237
500
200
0
0
0
Average Engaged Users
Links
Text/Status
Photos
Source: Simply Measured 1/1/13 – 5/25/13
Average Link Clicks
Links
Text/Status
Photos

12. #SMX #23B @travisbernard
Example #1
What did we decide to change?
• Increase the use of links because they are driving the most traffic
• Increase the use of status/text posts to maximize reach and engaged users
• Add shortened links to the status/text posts to see if they can also drive traffic
• Decrease use of photos because they aren’t driving much traffic
Before
After
% of Posts by Type
Posts by Type
44%
42%
52%
55%
6%
1%
Links
Text/Status
Photos
Links
Sources:
Simply Measured 1/1/13 – 10/5/13
Text/Status
Photos

13. #SMX #23B @travisbernard
Example #1
Source:
Simply Measured 3/1/13 – 9/30/13
Changes were made in
August, and the results
were impressive
• Potential impressions and
reach increased month
over month
How Many People Are Seeing Our Content?
120,000,000
100,000,000
80,000,000
60,000,000
40,000,000
20,000,000
0
March
April
May
Potential Impressions
June
July
Potential Reach
August
September

14. #SMX #23B @travisbernard
Example #1
Source:
Simply Measured 3/1/13 – 9/30/13
Changes were made in
August, and the results
were impressive
• Potential impressions and
reach increased month
over month
• Engagements and
engaged users increased
month over month
How Engaged Are Our Fans?
250,000
200,000
150,000
100,000
50,000
0
March
April
May
Engagements
June
Engaged Users
July
August
September

15. #SMX #23B @travisbernard
Example #1
Source:
Adobe Discover 3/1/13 – 9/30/13
Changes were made in
August, and the results
were impressive
• Potential impressions and
reach increased month
over month
• Engagements and
engaged users increased
month over month
• Entries and page views
from Facebook increased
month over month
How Many Entries Were Made Via Facebook?
1,400,000
1,200,000
1,000,000
800,000
600,000
400,000
200,000
0
March
April
May
Entries from Facebook
June
July
Page Views from Facebook
August
September

16. #SMX #23B @travisbernard
Example #2
•
Problem:
• Traffic from Twitter has been declining the last few months
•
Goal:
• Increase entries and page views from Twitter
•
Tactic:
• Host a tweet chat in August to see if it will have an impact on traffic
How Much Traffic is Twitter Driving?
35,000
30,000
25,000
20,000
15,000
10,000
5,000
0
March
April
May
Entries from Twitter
Page Views from Twitter
June
July

17. #SMX #23B @travisbernard
Example #2
How Engaged Are Our Twitter Followers?
9,000
8,000
Engagement:
• Engagement increased
50% month over month
• Unique engaged users
increased 14% month
over month
7,000
6,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
0
March
April
May
Engagements
June
July
August
September
Engaged Users
How Much Traffic is Twitter Driving?
35,000
30,000
25,000
Traffic:
• Entries from Twitter
increased 15% month
over month
• Page views from Twitter
increased 26% month
over month
20,000
15,000
10,000
5,000
0
March
April
May
Entries from Twitter
June
July
Page Views from Twitter
August
September
Source:
Adobe Discover 3/1/13 – 9/30/13
Simply Measured 3/1/13 – 9/30/13

18. #SMX #23B @travisbernard
Example #3
• Problem:
• Traffic from Twitter has been
declining the last few months
• Goal:
• Increase entries and page views
from Twitter
• Tactic:
• Analyze the time of day were are
posting and compare it to when
our audience is talking about us
the most to see if we are missing
opportunities

19. #SMX #23B @travisbernard
Example #3
Source:
Simply Measured 8/1/13 – 9/30/13
0:00
1:00
2:00
3:00
4:00
5:00
6:00
7:00
8:00
9:00
10:00
11:00
12:00
13:00
14:00
15:00
16:00
17:00
18:00
19:00
20:00
21:00
22:00
23:00
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Time of Day (EST)
Mentions by Time of Day (EST)
1,000
800
600
400
200
0
0:00
1:00
2:00
3:00
4:00
5:00
6:00
7:00
8:00
9:00
10:00
11:00
12:00
13:00
14:00
15:00
16:00
17:00
18:00
19:00
20:00
21:00
22:00
23:00
Total Comments
• We are getting a
moderate amount of
mentions at 10 and 11
PM EST, but we aren’t
tweeting much at that
time
• We are still getting a
number of mentions from
12-7 AM EST
Total Brand Posts
Brand Posts by Time of Day (EST)
Time of Day (EST)

20. #SMX #23B @travisbernard
Example #3
Source:
Simply Measured 8/1/13 – 9/30/13
0:00
1:00
2:00
3:00
4:00
5:00
6:00
7:00
8:00
9:00
10:00
11:00
12:00
13:00
14:00
15:00
16:00
17:00
18:00
19:00
20:00
21:00
22:00
23:00
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Time of Day (EST)
Mentions by Time of Day (EST)
1,000
800
600
400
200
0
0:00
1:00
2:00
3:00
4:00
5:00
6:00
7:00
8:00
9:00
10:00
11:00
12:00
13:00
14:00
15:00
16:00
17:00
18:00
19:00
20:00
21:00
22:00
23:00
Total Comments
What opportunities exist?
• Increase tweet frequency
from 10:00-11:59 PM
EST
• Increase tweet frequency
at 12 AM, 3 AM, and 7
AM
Total Brand Posts
Brand Posts by Time of Day (EST)
Time of Day (EST)

21. #SMX #23B @travisbernard
Example #3
•
•
•
We have a following around the globe
Most of our followers are in Eastern Time (-5 GMT) and Central Time (-6 GMT)
We have a large following on the west coast (-8 GMT) and England (GMT and GMT +1)
What opportunities exist?
• Our west coast and international following gives us a good reason to tweet more around
the clock
Source:
Simply Measured 8/1/13 – 9/30/13

22. #SMX #23B @travisbernard
Example #3
Engagement:
• Engagement increased 45%
month over month
• Unique engaged users
increased 35% month over
month
• Greater impact on
engagement than the tweet
chat
How Engaged Are Our Twitter Followers?
10,000
9,000
8,000
7,000
6,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
0
March
April
May
June
Engagements
July
August
September
October
Engaged Users
How Much Traffic is Twitter Driving?
35,000
30,000
25,000
20,000
15,000
Traffic:
• Entries from Twitter
increased 14% month over
month
• Page views from Twitter
increased 5% month over
month
• Less of an impact of traffic
than the tweet chat
10,000
5,000
0
March
April
May
June
Entries from Twitter
July
August
Page Views from Twitter
September
October
Source:
Adobe Discover 3/1/13 – 10/31/13
Simply Measured 3/1/13 – 10/31/13

23. #SMX #23B @travisbernard
Follow me for updates on social
media strategy and analytics
@travisbernard