Let’s face it. As businesses and marketers, most are obsessed with numbers. Bigger is always better, right? When it comes to social media, those shiny vanity metrics – thousands of followers, countless likes – feel like a digital trophy case. Those metrics might not be what they seem.

Remember, a ‘Like’ or a ‘follow’ on social media doesn’t always translate into a customer. Don’t get me wrong, reach is important. But if nobody’s buying what you’re selling, all those followers mean no use. A small, deeply engaged audience is worth its virtual weight in gold compared to a giant crowd of casual scrollers.

This is where the concept of ‘engagement’ comes in. We need to dig deeper and understand what people are actually doing on our social channels.

The idea of “critical analytics” offers a fresh perspective. It challenges us to shift our focus from self-promotion on social media toward understanding how these platforms can be used for issue networking and activism.

Here are a few questions I’ve started asking myself to go beyond the hyped numbers:

• Are people commenting? This shows they care enough to contribute to the conversation.
• What’s the share count? A retweet or share means your content resonated enough for someone to put their stamp on it.
• What’s the quality of interaction? Are you getting thoughtful questions, constructive criticism, or simply a string of emojis?
• Is there a clear path to purchase? Do people click through to your website, sign up for your email list, or even better, buy directly?

The Local Artisan.

A local farmer’s market had an amazing Instagram! It wasn’t some big, impersonal company – it was a group of passionate farmers and artists selling their unique creations. Photos of fresh produce, beautiful crafts, and even live music filled their feed. They shared interesting facts and stories, making it feel personal.

The best part? People really responded! They asked questions, raved about the products, and tagged their friends. This made me realize that a smaller, passionate community can have much more impact on social media than a big brand without a personal touch.

Track What Matters.

If you’re still feeling addicted to the big follower count, I get it. But here’s what I recommend:

Define your goals. What do you really want from social media? Awareness, leads, sales?

Choose engagement metrics as your true north. Likes are nice, but shares, comments, and click-throughs are better.

Use those social monitoring tools! Don’t just glance at the numbers. Analyze them to identify what content works best and why.

Don’t be afraid to experiment. Sometimes, controversial, or quirky content might generate the most buzz (and tell you more about your audience than a safe, generic post).

Remember, social media is a conversation, not a popularity contest. Track meaningful engagement, not just vanity numbers, and you’ll find the path to true social media success.

Let me know in the comments – have you ever been lured by the siren call of vanity metrics?