Social Media Analytics Tools

How do you know if your social media marketing campaign is running successfully? Do you simply wait for the sales margins to increase or do you proactively monitor customer sentiments and sales? Social media analytics tools assist you with exactly that. It handles the detailed analytics for you.

Opting to use social media analytics tools puts you in the driver's seat. It helps you, monitor, evaluate and subsequently improve your performance on social media. These analytics tools use different algorithms and web application software to graphically showcase your performance.

But which social media analytics tools should you pick? There are so many options available on the market we can’t blame you if you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed. Let’s unpack some of the key features you should look out for in a good package.

Social media analytics tools have become vital in running successful campaigns. It increases sales and gets more traffic to your page. It’s undoubtedly a valuable tool to use but be wary of empty promises from all these different companies. Look out for these key features before you sign up:

Competitive benchmarking: Your analytics tools must allow you to compare yourself to competitors or industry standards. Benchmarking collects the data from every process or function in your space and analyzes it to find the best practice. Don't you want to know how you’re doing and use valuable insights to improve your social media strategies?

Practical steps to start benchmarking:

Exporting data: What do you do with the insightful analytics after it has been generated by your analytics software? Export it and share it with a wider audience in a presentation, spreadsheet, or email. Make sure your package allows you to export the data into different formats such as jpg, xlsx, cvs or an online link for anyone to view.

Combine your data: Isn’t it lovely having everything you need in one place? It allows you to have information at your fingertips and enables you to see the bigger picture instantly. Facebook offers some valuable insights when you launch your campaign. The schlep is having to keep track of interaction rates, link clicks, and other metrics separately. A solid analytics tool should enable you to pull your Facebook metrics into the program. Now you can see everything in one program.

It’s important to know what your objectives are for your social media campaign before you start buying the software. There are so many different types available so make sure you buy the correct package for your needs.

Taking into account the key features you should look out for in a decent package, we’ve listed three programs that deliver top results.

Buffer Analyze

This analytics tool allows you to track your brand's performance online and assist with making informed decisions regarding your social media strategy. You'll be able to measure outputs and track tangible results using the user-friendly dashboard.

Top features include:

• Getting recommendations on how to post
• Generation of professional reports
• Detailed analytics on Instagram stories

There are different pricing options available, but you’re looking at around $50 minimum monthly.

Sprout Social

This is another innovative analytics tool that gives you comprehensive management of your social media campaign. It also allows for qualitative analyses across different social media platforms. The reporting is rich in visuals and easy to interpret.

The top features are:

• A combined report on all social media profiles
• Monitor and track performance on paid campaigns across different networks
• Detailed analysis of your team's performance

How much will it all cost? You’re looking at $99 to $249 monthly, depending on the package.

Hootsuite

With this analytics tool, you get the best of both worlds. It combines excellent social media management with publishing and listening tools. It also assists in identifying which content works best for you.

Top features include:

• Customize reports can be exported
• It measures your resolution and response time
• It effectively tracks brand mentions

The pricing options are competitive and range from $19 to $599 monthly.

When starting a social media strategy you need to carefully plan your steps. Here are eight basic steps to follow:

• Set goals that line up with your business objectives
• Study your audience
• Know what your competitors are doing
• Do an audit on your social media efforts to see what’s working and what isn’t
• Decide which accounts you’ll set up on the different networks
• Stay inspired by looking at other social media success stories
• Schedule your social media content on a calendar
• Continuously test, assess, and fine-tune your strategy

Irrespective of what kind of budget you’re working with, there are social media analytics tools for any budget at any stage of your journey. It all comes down to what data on social media needs analyzing. There are also a couple of free analytics tools, so finding the right fit for your unique needs is achievable.

The different plans start with low prices and more comprehensive plans catering to bigger businesses are priced more expensively. The differentiating comes with the features you decide to include. Full rounded customer experience is more expensive than surface-level analytics. It’s all about the scope you need.

Conclusion

Gaining powerful insights into your social media campaigns and tracking your users’ interaction with your post gives you an added advantage. Finding ways to connect to your target audience at every touchpoint is key to staying relevant and ahead of the competition.

Social media analytics tools offer you the platform to gain valuable insights that will keep you in tune with your audience. Let us know in the comments below what other tips you can share with the users.