Unleash Your Social Media Potential: A Comprehensive Deep Dive for Writers
I promise this won't hurt one bit...
If you’re a writer hoping to land an agent or book deal, or even if you choose to self-publish, understanding the difference between followers, reach, engagement, and views on your social media is crucial.
After helping writers at all stages since 2011 and publishing and marketing my eight books, I can tell you with 100% certainty that agents, publishers, etc., want a ‘sure thing.’ While followers are one metric, publishing has become much more savvy because it’s not only about the number of followers.
These metrics tell a unique story about how your content performs and your audience interacts. Here’s a breakdown:
1. Followers
What it is: The number of people “subscribing” to your content regularly. These are the users who "follow" your account.
What it tells you: The size of your audience or fan base.
Why it matters: A high follower count can establish credibility or authority in your niche. However, it doesn’t guarantee that all your followers will see or interact with your content.
Example: You have 10,000 followers on Instagram. This is your potential audience, but not all will see every post.
2. Reach
What it is: The number of unique users who see your content, regardless of whether they follow you or not.
What it tells you: How far your content spreads.
Why it matters: Reach measures your ability to surpass your existing followers. A high reach often means algorithms share or amplify your content.
Example: You post a tweet, and Twitter shows it to 2,000 users (some of whom are your followers, some of whom are not). That’s your reach.
3. Engagement
What it is: The actions people take on your content, such as likes, comments, shares, clicks, or saves.
What it tells you: How interactive and compelling your content is to your audience.
Why it matters: High engagement means people find value in your content. Engagement rate is often a better indicator of success than just follower count.
Example: Your TikTok video has 500 views, but it gets 100 likes, 20 comments, and 10 shares. That’s high engagement!
4. Views
What it is: The number of times your content is watched or seen. Views often include repeat views from the same user.
What it tells you: How many times your content is consumed.
Why it matters: Views are a volume metric—great for showing how much exposure your content has received, but they don’t measure quality interaction.
Example: A Reel you post on Instagram gets 10,000 views, meaning it’s been played that many times, but it might not have driven many comments or shares.
How They Work Together
Think of these metrics as pieces of a puzzle:
Followers are your starting base.
Reach shows how far your content goes.
Engagement reflects how your audience is interacting with it.
Views track the raw number of times people consume your content.
Why Balance is Key
If you only focus on increasing followers, you might neglect creating engaging or shareable content. If you obsess over views, you might chase trends that don’t align with your brand.
This balance is crucial for writers—you want to engage readers who care about your books or writing journey, not just inflate numbers.
When evaluating success, ask yourself:
Did the content reach the right people? (Reach)
Did it encourage action? (Engagement)
Did it get repeated exposure? (Views)
Is my audience growing sustainably? (Followers)
By consistently tracking these metrics, you can refine your strategy and focus on what truly resonates with your audience.
How To Check Metrics
Okay, so metrics are essential. How do we check them? Well, it’s different on each social media network (of course). Here’s a little breakdown:
1. Facebook
How to check metrics:
Go to your Facebook Page (NOT your personal ‘friends’ account).
Click on Meta Business Suite (or Insights).
Navigate to the Insights tab for metrics like reach, engagement, and follower growth.
For individual post metrics, open a post and click View Insights.
Key metrics available:
Followers: Total followers and new ones gained/lost.
Reach: Unique accounts who saw your content.
Engagement: Likes, comments, shares, and clicks.
Views: Available for videos (e.g., 3-second video views).
Tips:
Use the Export Data option for detailed analysis.
Facebook Insights also provides demographic data about your audience, which can be very helpful when creating ads.
2. Instagram
How to check metrics:
Switch to a Professional Account (Business). It’s free to do so.
Open the Instagram app, go to your Profile, and tap Professional Dashboard.
Click on Account Insights for an overview of your metrics.
To check individual post insights, click View Insights below a post.
Key metrics available:
Followers: Growth trends, demographics, and activity.
Reach: Number of unique accounts that saw your posts.
Engagement: Likes, comments, shares, saves, and profile visits.
Views: Available for Reels, Stories, and IGTV videos.
Tips:
Use the Content You’ve Shared section to analyze specific posts.
Stories Insights show detailed metrics like exit rates and interactions.
3. Twitter (X)
How to check metrics:
Log in to your account and go to Twitter Analytics: analytics.twitter.com.*
*You must be a Premium or Premium+ subscriber to check analytics under Musk’s new X rules.Alternatively, on individual tweets, click the View Tweet Activity icon.
Key metrics available:
Followers: Total count and daily changes.
Impressions: Number of times a tweet appears in timelines.
Engagement: Likes, retweets, replies, profile clicks, and link clicks.
Engagement Rate: Percentage of engagements divided by impressions.
Tips:
Use the Top Tweets section to analyze your most effective posts.
Export data for detailed trend tracking.
4. LinkedIn
How to check metrics:
For personal profiles:
Click View Analytics on individual posts.
For company pages:
Go to your Company Page, then click Analytics in the admin tools.
Key metrics available:
Followers: Growth trends and demographics.
Impressions: Number of times a post is displayed.
Engagement: Clicks, likes, comments, and shares.
Views: Available for video posts.
Tips:
Track Website Clicks from your LinkedIn posts to see how effectively you’re driving traffic.
5. TikTok
How to check metrics:
Switch to a Pro Account.
Go to your Profile, tap the three-line menu, and select Creator Tools > Analytics.
Key metrics available:
Followers: Growth trends and activity patterns.
Reach: Unique accounts that watched your content.
Engagement: Likes, comments, shares, and saves.
Views: Total video views, including trending sound statistics.
Tips:
Use TikTok’s audience demographics to tailor your content.
6. YouTube
How to check metrics:
Open YouTube Studio (studio.youtube.com).
Go to the Analytics tab for detailed metrics.
Key metrics available:
Subscribers: Growth trends and retention.
Views: Total views for each video.
Engagement: Likes, comments, shares, and average watch time.
Reach: Impressions and click-through rate (CTR).
Tips:
Analyze your Traffic Sources to see where viewers are finding your videos.
Monitor Audience Retention to see how long viewers stay engaged.
7. Pinterest
How to check metrics:
Switch to a Business Account.
Go to your profile and click on Analytics in the top menu.
Key metrics available:
Followers: Total followers.
Impressions: How many times your Pins appear.
Engagement: Saves, clicks, and close-ups.
Views: Total video views for video Pins.
Tips:
Use the Top Pins section to see what’s performing well.
General Tips for All Platforms
Use Third-Party Tools: Platforms like Hootsuite, Sprout Social, or Later provide multi-platform analytics in one dashboard.
Compare Over Time: Track metrics monthly to spot trends.
Focus on Goals: Align metrics with your goals (e.g., followers for growth, engagement for audience connection).
You can consistently monitor these metrics to refine your social media strategy, better serve your goals, and connect with your audience. However, I caution against checking every post daily, or you’ll never get any writing done!
Happy holidays and happy writing! See you in 2025. 🎆
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