SYRACUSE — Businesses can use web and social-media analytics for a host of reasons — identify strategies, measure how they’re doing, and figure out the best way to reach a market. The organization Social Media Breakfast Syracuse recently hosted an event, dubbed “All About Analytics.” The group, which is a local chapter of a national […]
SYRACUSE — Businesses can use web and social-media analytics for a host of reasons — identify strategies, measure how they’re doing, and figure out the best way to reach a market.
The organization Social Media Breakfast Syracuse recently hosted an event, dubbed “All About Analytics.” The group, which is a local chapter of a national movement, says it “brings together social-media practitioners and enthusiasts across Central New York for mornings of eating, sharing and learning about social media.”
The April 14 breakfast at OneGroup Center at 706 N. Clinton St. in Syracuse featured Sarah Roche, digital communications manager at CenterState CEO; Zach Clark, director of business development at Cowley Associates; and Chris Madden, director of online visibility for The Good Monster, as panelists.
The trio discussed different social-media tactics, analytics tips, and simple ways to make better use of the data a company may have available. Here are 5 takeaways from their discussion.
On Twitter: retweets are stronger than likes
Having people like a post is a way for them to get your attention and potentially get you to look at their profile, Clark says. But retweets are where the value lies — they actually shared your content with their followers. Watch out for the things your followers retweet and try to produce that kind of content.
On website design: layout matters
“Switching website layout — the navigation structure — is actually important,” Clark says. Roche adds that many people will gravitate toward a company’s “About Us” page, and says that what is close to that page may influence where they click next. Using your web stats to see which pages visitors hit most can help create a natural flow on your website.
On Facebook: video is best
While companies can pay to boost a post or to place an ad on Facebook, Clark recommends sharing video with your followers. “Facebook videos are highly engaging,” Madden says. In the sea of content Facebook users are already swimming through, a video is a great way to grab a viewer’s attention — and is much more effective than an ad they’re sure to overlook.
On visitors: time spent is more important than overall visitors
“The biggest mistake I see people making is placing importance on the wrong numbers,” Clark says. While your website may have had 2,000 clicks, that doesn’t count for much if those viewers only stayed on your site for 15 seconds. The number of viewers who stayed longer — and actually engaged with your content — is much more valuable.
In learning about analytics: YouTube can be your friend.
Instead of taking a difficult test to acquire your Google Analytics Individual Qualification, Madden suggests considering online tutorials. There are a variety of videos out there that can clarify the difference between impressions and engagements, and show you how to understand the numbers your website or social-media profiles are generating. While you may have to look up some of the lingo a video might use, it’s certainly less expensive than taking a course on analytics or even paying a professional if it’s something you want to do yourself, Madden says.
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