Tracy L. Tuten, Social Media Marketing, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
Chapter 11: Social media metrics
Chapter overview
Chapter 11 is all about measuring the success of social media marketing efforts. Some of the
measurement efforts overlap with what we did in Chapter 10. But we also focus on specific
metrics and how to measure them in this chapter.
Teaching tips and resources
To aid in understanding the need for metrics:
• A good assignment is to ask students to review the case studies for various
social media marketing campaigns. Some of these are noted on the YouTube
playlist for the book, but the campaigns from Cannes are also excellent.
To expand on the Critical Reflection case:
• Ask students to monitor their own social media-sharing, including what is
shared in the ‘light’ versus what is dark social. What are the implications for
marketers?
Learning objectives
When students finish reading this chapter, they will be able to answer these questions:
1. What is the role of metrics in social media marketing programs? How should
metrics vary according to the level of decision-making in the organisation?
2. How can the marketing funnel, customer journey and levels of engagement guide
marketing objectives and appropriate choice of key performance indicators
(KPIs)?
Tracy L. Tuten, Social Media Marketing, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
6. How do we track social media results?
Chapter outline
I. What Matters Is Measured
• This chapter begins with a vignette from Jim Sterne’s book on social
media metrics.
• KPIs are those metrics that are tied to organisational objectives. But,
there’s a catch: in order for KPIs to be valuable, we first must be sure the
objectives they’re supposed to measure are well defined.
A. A First Date or Marriage?
• Some metrics such as number of unique visitors, page views,
frequency of visits, average visit length and clickthrough rates may
be irrelevant or simply fail to capture information appropriate to
the reasons we use them.
B. Tying KPIs to Meaningful Information
1. Advertisers can measure reach (the number of people exposed to the
message) and frequency (the average number of times someone is
exposed) and analyse site stickiness (the ability of a site to draw repeat
Tracy L. Tuten, Social Media Marketing, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
3. We need to know the degree of engagement people feel during and
after the interaction, and how these exposures influenced their feelings
about the brand.
4. Figure 11.2 illustrates mapping KPIs to the marketing funnel and
customer journey.
II. The Evaluation and Measurement Process: Data
The DATA approach explains the process for evaluation and measurement. It
includes these steps.
1. Define: Define the results that the program is designed to promote.
2. Assess: Assess the costs of the program and the potential value of the
results.
3. Track: Track the actual results and link those results to the program.
4. Adjust: Adjust the program based on results to optimise future outcomes.
A. Define
Tracy L. Tuten, Social Media Marketing, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
3. At different levels of the organisation, the nature of decisions varies and
therefore the metrics must vary as well. Altimeter’s Social Media ROI
pyramid explains how objectives vary at each business level, executives at
those levels use social media metrics, and the types of metrics that are most
appropriate.
4. Figure 11.4 illustrates Social Media ROI pyramid.
B. The next step is to decide on the metric, or specific standard of
measurement, we will use to measure the objective.
1. Table 11.4 illustrates commonly used social media metrics.
2. A Social Media Marketing Metrics Matrix
• Activity metrics measure the actions the organisation takes relative to
social media.
• Interaction metrics focus on how the target market engages with the
social media platform and activities.
Tracy L. Tuten, Social Media Marketing, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
3. A common metric to gauge success is ROI. ROI is a measure of profitability.
4. When we apply this concept to a brand’s investment in social media
marketing, we call the measure social media return on investment
(SMROI). SMROI answers the question, ‘How much income did our
investments in social media marketing generate?’
5. Table 11.5 illustrates a social media metrics framework.
6. The return on impressions model demonstrates how many media
impressions were generated by the social media tactics employed.
C. Assess
1. Some of the assessments we may conduct include:
• Performance effectiveness by design element (A/B testing): A/B testing
is a strategy in which two versions of a message, version A and version B,
are tested against each other.
Tracy L. Tuten, Social Media Marketing, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
• Service quality: How well did the brand address customer needs using
social media relative to other customer care methods?
• Message/crisis control: Brands accept a risk that the brand’s message will
be shared or manipulated in ways that the brand would rather not have
happen.
2. Table 11.6 illustrates cost-benefit analysis of a corporate blog.
• Blog value index (BVI) is a simple equation that enables a company to
assess whether the blog adds more value than it costs.
D. Track
1. The tracking step in the DATA process involves the following components:
• Identify tracking mechanisms
• Establish baseline comparisons
2. There are three approaches to tracking that reflect different ways to do this:
• Forward tracking means that the tracking mechanisms are developed
prior to launching the activity or campaign. Forward tracking is the
most accurate approach because it enables the account team to develop a
mechanism for tracking exactly the data desired.
Tracy L. Tuten, Social Media Marketing, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
primary data collection such as surveys to assess the effects of the
campaign.
III. Social media performance dashboard is an insight tool, built to provide intuitive
navigation through the KPIs and visualisation of data.
IV. Figure 11.7 illustrates social media performance dashboard.
A. Results and Outcomes
1. Social Equivalent Advertising Value (SEAV) is based on two established
measures: impressions valued on a cost per thousand (CPM) basis and
clickthroughs valued on a cost per click (CPC basis).
B. Baselines
1. A baseline is a metric (often expressed visually) that allows a marketer to
compare its performance on some dimension to other things such as how
competitors are doing or how its own efforts fluctuate over time.
2. Figure 11.8 illustrates a baseline graphic
C. Adjust
1. There is little value in measuring without a process for applying what is
learned to future activities and investments.
2. Simple Ways to Start Measuring
Tracy L. Tuten, Social Media Marketing, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
• Content loyalty: How many consumers have subscribed to branded
content with RSS feeds or by registering for site access?
• Content conversations: Who is discussing the brand? Who is linking to
brand websites? What is the comment-to-post ratio?
• Content engagement: Is the number of friends to brand profiles
growing? Are people contributing content like comments and photos?
Chapter summary
1. What is the role of metrics in social media marketing programs? How do the metrics
used in decision-making vary at different levels of the organisation?
Metrics are measures to which marketers can compare results that relate to specific
marketing objectives. Metrics allow us to determine the extent to which our strategies have
2. How can the marketing funnel, customer journey and levels of engagement guide
marketing objectives and appropriate choice of KPIs?
Each stage of the market funnel aligns with the stages in the customer journey from
awareness to purchase. There are performance metrics that are relevant at each of these
3. What are the steps in the DATA approach to measurement? What types of metrics
are used?
We organise a measurement plan according to a four-step process known as the DATA
approach: define, assess, track and adjust. This process allows us to clearly specify what the
Tracy L. Tuten, Social Media Marketing, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2021
4. How do we calculate social media ROI?
ROI is a measure of profitability. It captures how effective a company is at using capital to
generate profits. To determine ROI we assign a financial value to the resources we use to
5. How is A/B testing used to assess costs and value of social media tactics?
A/B testing uses experimentation to vary individual design elements in social media tactics
and compare the subsequent performance and cost. Using this technique enables social media
6. How do we track social media results?
Forward tracking requires the analyst to develop tracking mechanisms prior to launching the
activity or campaign. Forward tracking is the most accurate approach because it enables the
Tracy L. Tuten, Social Media Marketing, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2021