Whether or not you’re reporting social media efficiency weekly or month-to-month, to a boss or consumer, one factor is for certain: reporting can simply grow to be a ‘go-through-the-motions’ activity.
There’s a set format you comply with, metrics you report on, a template you employ—and a rush to finish it.
However let’s reframe our pondering for a second: what if, by going by means of the motions, you’re lacking a significant alternative?
Reporting is your constant probability to show the worth of your work. It’s a robust alternative to say, “Look how strategic and efficient we’re.” It’s about displaying stakeholders your impression, which might translate into extra price range, affect, or extra group members.
So, what errors might be holding you again from turning your most boring activity into your strongest software?
1. Dropping focus of your technique.
The day-to-day rush of social media means we’re at all times centered on the micro efficiency of particular person posts. So by specializing in total month-to-month outcomes like, “Engagement is up 2.4%,” it may mistakenly really feel like we’re doing job of ‘seeing the larger image’. In actuality, monitoring month-on-month progress alone doesn’t do sufficient to align your outcomes with enterprise targets.
As a substitute: Use your report as a month-to-month probability to floor your ends in technique.
Don’t simply present progress or decline in isolation. Remind the reader of how your outcomes match into an even bigger enterprise image. A rise in engagement can point out a strengthening group; a lower in click-throughs may show that Instagram isn’t the very best conversion software. Tying outcomes to long-term targets paints an even bigger image and demonstrates strategic pondering.
2. Overloading the reader with info.
It’s straightforward to fall into the behavior of making a fill-in-the-blanks report that repeats the identical numbers each time: engagement charge, follower development, attain, prime posts, clicks—maybe for each single submit that’s gone out. But there’s a excessive probability your reader is glazing over the metrics, and nothing is sinking in.
As a substitute: Spotlight what issues most.
By slimming your report, or pairing it with a abstract that spotlights what to give attention to, your stakeholder is extra more likely to acknowledge the worth in your work. For instance, if model consciousness amongst shoppers is your focus, emphasize metrics like shares or attain on consumer-heavy channels like Instagram and TikTok. If LinkedIn isn’t contributing to your model consciousness purpose, does it deserve as a lot consideration in your report? Think about the important thing takeaway you need your stakeholder to realize, and minimize out info that doesn’t add to that story.
3. Assuming senior leaders perceive jargon.
A time period like ‘engagement charge’ or ‘VTR’—whereas apparent to you—is perhaps much less acquainted to senior stakeholders. These phrases can act as an ‘off’ change for a non-technical viewers’s consideration.
As a substitute: Spell out precisely what the metrics imply, and why they matter.
As an illustration, as a substitute of merely saying, “Our engagement charge elevated by 12.4%,” translate this right into a tangible takeaway: “This primarily got here from a rise in saves on instructional content material which signifies our viewers is discovering worth on this method.” By increasing on technical phrases utilizing on a regular basis language, you’re not dumbing down the info—you’re guaranteeing your insights resonate throughout all stakeholders.
4. Sending similar stories to all stakeholders.
A one-size-fits-all method doesn’t at all times work for stories. Most CEOs will admire top-level insights, whereas content material administrators shall be eager to dive into the nitty-gritty.
As a substitute: Construct completely different stories for various audiences.
For senior stakeholders, give attention to high-level outcomes and their enterprise impression. For advertising and marketing groups, dive deeper into the metrics and particular person submit efficiency. Use instruments that streamline this course of, permitting you to regulate stories based mostly on the reader with out growing your workload.
5. Solely speaking about what’s already occurred.
Reviewing the numbers for the earlier month with out linking them to future actions could make stories really feel reactive relatively than strategic. Stakeholders need to understand how the info informs future plans, not simply what occurred final month.
As a substitute: Clarify what’s developing—even when nothing’s altering.
Even when your plan is to supply extra of the identical, it’s important to display thoughtfulness in your subsequent steps. For instance: “We’ll proceed this method to construct consistency subsequent month.” Ahead-looking insights present that you simply’re not simply monitoring efficiency, however actively utilizing metrics and outcomes to information it. This is a crucial step in direction of positioning your self as a subject professional, and constructing affect inside your group.
And to make that course of sooner and smoother, having the fitting instruments is vital. With Sked Social’s new Customized Experiences function, you may simply create polished PDF stories that combine natural and paid metrics from all of your social channels. Save time with AI-powered insights, customizable stories for various stakeholders, and scheduled supply, guaranteeing your group or shoppers at all times keep up to date—and also you maximize the chance that reporting presents. Begin leveraging your stories in the present day and drive much more impactful conversations along with your stakeholders.
