Determining which metrics matter in social media marketing

Abstract

This article surveys the available academic literature on using the proper metrics to measure the effectiveness of a social media marketing campaign. The academic literature is sadly outdated and incomplete when compared to the trade literature. There is no consensus on which metrics matter, but research points to the importance of developing social media objectives at the very beginning of the process. This lays the foundation for choosing a platform with the target audience in mind and then analysing the metrics that measure whether those objectives were ultimately achieved. This paper first compares the metrics offered for each of the five most commonly used social media platforms. A conceptual framework is then proposed to determine which metrics to use in evaluating the effectiveness of a social media campaign. This proposed four-step process must begin at the same place a social media campaign must start, by determining the campaign's marketing objectives. Only then can the proper metrics be determined.