With social media changing the way businesses advertise and market, it can become a tad overwhelming trying to keep track of what numbers you should be focused on. While some consider ROI the most important, its formula can change based on specific goals.

So here are some metrics for checking your effectiveness as a brand on social media.

Audience Growth Rate

This metric will help you see how you are growing as a brand. Start by selecting a specific time period (i.e. quarterly) and look at the number of followers you started off with as well as the number you finished with at the end of the period. Divide the final number into the starting number to reach your Audience Growth Rate.

Customer Response Rate

Whether they are showing love or just asking questions, it’s important that your response rate is high. Divide the number of responses that you give by the number of people who have engaged with your brand then multiply that number by 100. 

Making a habit of responding to the majority of your customers and to unique customers (not the same user each time) builds trust with your audience.

Net Promoter Score

The NPS tells you how many costumers are loyal to your brand and if they would recommend you to a friend. This would be your business “report card” so to speak.

This metric starts with surveying your audience and customers. Ask them to rate your business on a scale of one to ten. Scores between a one and six are labeled “Detractors”, between seven and eight—”Passives” and marks of a nine or ten are labeled as “Promoters.” Subtract the “Detractors” from the “Promoters” and then divide that number by the total number of correspondents and then multiply by 100.

With so many metrics available, you might find that certain software (i.e. Keyhole, Sprout Social, NetBase or quintly) would aid you in tracking your social media performance as well as the performance of your competitors. Be mindful not to get too caught up in the Channel Reports that you lose sight of the goal.