Measuring the success of social media campaigns is a complex and constantly changing challenge.
Digital advertising offers a range of metrics to measure success, provided you have set up your campaigns correctly. You can measure clicks and events (for example add to cart, collecting leads) however analysing and interpreting that data isn’t always as simple as it seems. It’s important to remember that customers are on a journey from the minute they encounter your brand for the very first time to the point at which they buy products or services from you. This means that there are likely to be multiple touchpoints within that journey, so you really need to understand your target customers and how they will buy, the platforms that they spend the most time on and which ones influence their behaviour and buying decisions. The customer journey can range from a straightforward impulse buy from click to purchase, or it can be a protracted one in which they see adverts, discounts and reviews for your products and services over a long period of time before they take that leap of faith.
A number of platforms (like Facebook) help you to follow the user journey in detail because it collects data about an individual’s actions. Data is gathered via a pixel which enables your business to connect the dots and track the customer journey.
Once you plot your customers’ journeys (bearing in mind there are likely to be a number of different user journeys depending on the platforms they use and their buying preferences) it is important to focus on targeting two key areas: the customers who are most likely to buy from you immediately and continuing to develop your profile within other categories who may take longer. Some companies carry out research and surveys to help them review and adapt their strategy while others use the information that’s already out there to guide them. Whatever methods you are using, social media advertising and metrics is an area that is constantly changing so be ready to keep measuring, keep planning and adapting your digital campaigns to ensure they remain effective and that you are gaining the maximum return on investment.