What metrics should you be tracking? Recently, I had a conversation with the President of a non-profit organisation about KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) for social media. They asked me this question.

My answer? I don’t put a lot of KPIs on social media. Because it’s not just about doing more social media. It’s about doing the things that make a difference — the things that drive outcomes.

That’s why I see social media as a hygiene factor — something you have to do, and if it's absent causes dissatisfaction, but is not alone going to significantly increase overall performance. It's more of a baseline. It's like cleaning the office. You have to do it, and consistency is good, but bar a special campaign or "going viral", it’s unlikely to significantly boost sales overnight. It's more of a long term game, that builds trust and authority.

Take this story, for example. Last week, I had 60 tickets left to sell for an event. I could have scheduled a few more social posts. I could have boosted one with a little ad spend. But I know social posts aren’t the most effective tactic for driving conversions.I know that direct email (if you have an existing mailing list) is more likely to convert into sales.

So instead of racking my brain for a clever social campaign, I sent one email. It didn’t even need to be particularly fancy. It just needed to be clear, concise and with a convenient call to action. And it worked.

When you start thinking about marketing activities in terms of the outcomes they produce, your plan becomes a whole lot easier. For most small to medium-sized organisations, posting on social once or twice a week is usually enough.

And if you’re setting KPIs, track consistency and engagement. Whatever you do, don’t leave it too long between communications.

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📌 This was Issue 27 of The Forward — our regular newsletter for conscious-minded business leaders.

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