We Need Social Media Metrics – But How Do We Measure Them?

We marketers love our data. Detailed metrics give us insight into our audience and the true influence of our marketing efforts. For social media marketing campaigns, tracking metrics is essential; but this process has become increasingly difficult in a complex digital landscape.

An AdWeek article this month outlined the challenges brands face when trying to track social results, noting a recent mistake from Facebook, which inflated user video viewing time by up to 80%. AdWeek pointed to this as a sign of a larger, industry-wide issue:

But the problem goes beyond just Facebook, as other digital platforms also use their own sets of metrics. Still, most marketers prefer the standards of industry measurement authority the Media Rating Council. One week after Facebook’s video miscalculation was discovered, the ANA called for an audit of the platform’s metrics and asked for third-party verification through the MRC.

This lack of standardization – in social media definitions or tracking methods – creates obvious confusion. One platform’s view is another’s impression, and there’s no guarantee that these terms will stay constant even within one social network. It’s a challenge for agencies to juggle these various terms and translate them to show clients clear and accurate results. Many marketers are lobbying for a streamlined, standardized way to track metrics across all social platforms – a change that would benefit both agencies and the brands we work with.

MtoM is invested in improving this process throughout the industry. MtoM’s COO, Tracey Harrington McCoy, is a member of the Research & Measurement Council of WOMMA, the influential trade association for word of mouth and social media marketing. The council conducts original research, and recommends best practices for integrating metrics and measurement into campaigns.

We are excited for MtoM to play an integral role in shaping how our industry defines and measures social media metrics in the future. Stay tuned for more updates!

Find out more about MtoM’s social media marketing expertise