Metrics are only useful when they help you make a decision. The large number of subscribers does not explain the sales, and the low coverage does not say at what stage the problem occurred. It is more convenient to look at SMM as a chain: content delivery – attention – interaction – transition – targeted action – economy.
Below are formulas and rules of interpretation without trying to reduce different tasks to a single “main coefficient”.
Divide indicators into three levels
| Level | Examples | Which question does it answer? |
|---|---|---|
| Content | Coverage, retention, reactions, preservation | Interesting material and clear presentation |
| Action | CTR, transitions, messages, registrations | Does the person move on to the next step? |
| Business | Leads, sales, CAC, ROMI, LTV | Does the channel create economic results? |
Reach and impressions: how many people saw the content
Coverage The number of unique users who saw the material. Impressions Take into account all images, including repeated ones. Frequency is calculated as impressions divided by coverage. It helps to understand how many times the average person has met a message.
Rising impressions without growing reach could mean re-delivering the same audience. This isn’t always a bad thing: a complex decision requires touches, but too high ad frequency can cause fatigue.
ER and ERR: How to count engagement
First, determine what actions are included in the interactions: reactions, comments, reposts and saves. For video, sometimes clicks or responses are analyzed separately. Then select the calculation base and always indicate it in the report.
| Indicator | Formula | When to apply |
|---|---|---|
| ER by subscriber n | Interactions ÷ Subscribers × 100% | Comparison of posts within one account |
| ERR by coverage | Interactions ÷ coverage × 100% | Evaluation of the reaction of those who actually saw the post |
| ER by viewing | Interactions ÷ Views × 100% | Short and regular videos |
Indicators cannot be directly compared between platforms and formats. Coverage is considered different, and the set of actions is different. Compare comparable publications, period and source of traffic. Median is more reliable than average if one post goes viral.
Video retention: where attention is lost
The average viewing time shows how long the average video was watched. The average viewing share compares this time to the length of the video. The retention schedule helps to find specific failures: a protracted introduction, an incomprehensible transition, or the moment after which a promise has already been fulfilled.
For short videos, the choice of viewing instead of scrolling, inspections and re-views are separately useful. A high repetition can mean an interesting loop, but sometimes an incomprehensibility. Always watch the video with the schedule.
CTR and Conversion: Does the User Move Further?
CTR = clicks ÷ impressions × 100%. It shows how much the message and appeal trigger the transition. Conversion = targeted actions ÷ visitors or clicks × 100%. In the report, be sure to indicate the denominator: conversion from the transition to the application and from the application for payment - different stages.
If the CTR is low, check the offer, creativity, and audience compliance. If there are clicks and there are no bids, the problem may be the landing page, price, form, or gap between the promise and the product.
CPL, CPA and the Economics of Promotion
| Indicator | Formula | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| CPC | Expenses ÷ clicks | Cost of transition |
| CPL | Expenditures ÷ leads | Cost of application or application |
| CPA | Expenses ÷ Targeted actions | Cost of the selected result |
| CAC | All costs of attracting new customers | Cost of a new client |
| ROMI | (Income from marketing - expenses) ÷ Expenses × 100% | Payback on marketing investments |
For ROMI, agree in advance whether to use revenue or gross profit. Revenue can create the illusion of payback at low margins. If the trade cycle is long, link leads to sales in CRM and evaluate the result by cohorts.
Create a report that can be read in five minutes
Structure of the weekly dashboard
- The purpose of the period and one main business number
- Coverage and frequency per site n
- Three Best and Three Weak Materials with Explanation
- Transitions, Referrals and Conversions by Source
- Costs, CPL or CPA and the quality of the result
- Changes relative to a comparable period
- Three decisions for next week
Example of chain interpretation
The video received high coverage, but few transitions to profile. Keeping good means the content is being watched; perhaps the topic is too entertaining or the next step is unclear. The other video has moderate coverage, but many saves and applications. For business, the latter may be more valuable, even if it looks less viral.
The correct conclusion is not “more views are needed,” but a specific hypothesis: keep a strong theme, rewrite the call, prepare a profile, and check the conversion on the next series.
Frequent questions
Which ER is considered good?
There is no single value: the result depends on the site, format, size and quality of the audience. Compare it to your own media and similar publications.
Which is more important: engagement or engagement?
It's different stages. Reach is responsible for delivery, engagement is responsible for response. Both are needed for growth, and conversions and conversions are also important for businesses.
How often do you report?
Operating indicators are convenient to watch weekly, business results - monthly and quarterly, taking into account the length of the transaction cycle.
Why are platform data and website analytics different?
Systems use different attribution windows, uniqueness rules, and event processing. Set one source for each KPI and describe the method.
Link promotion to a measurable goal
Choose a site, set initial values and test growth in small stages, fixing not only the volume, but also the quality of the result.
More practical materials on promotion - in the section of articles SMMFlash.
