Sprout Social: Flourishing with Social Media Metrics

Before we are born, we are already getting measured. We enter this world with a measurement of weight and length. Through no decision of our own, we are thrust into a world where the measurement of virtually everything is embedded into the fabric of society. We measure blood sugar levels, job performance, life goals, height, intelligence, and so forth, and the list of possibilities is endless. In fact, I am even getting measured on the quality and content of this blog.

“He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp posts – for support rather than for illumination.”
Andrew Lang, Scottish Writer

Today’s business world provides a prime example in which our obsession with metrics is evident on a voluminous scale. As it relates to the business world, without analytics, a company is vulnerable. However, just owning analytics tools and methods of measure is not enough. While data in business is important, being able to identify the right data that correlates to your overall growth as a company is essential to achieving your longterm goals. This too can be said of the social media for business environment.

 

“Without big data analytics, companies are blind and deaf, wandering out onto the Web like deer on a freeway.” Geoffrey Moore, Author of Crossing the Chasm & Inside the Tornado

When it comes to helping, organizations achieve these goals in the social media realm, Sprout Social comes to mind.

Sprout Social, Inc. provides social media management software. The company offers social media management and engagement platform for businesses that enables to engage with audience and route issues to internal systems, and publish messages; and provides integrated analytics and reporting services. It serves enterprises, education institutions, and agencies. The company was founded in 2010 and is based in Chicago, Illinois. – Sprout Social

The days of marketing and having no tangible way of providing metrics/statistics to determine the successes or failures of your efforts is a thing of the past. Having used Sprout extensively,  I find that it provides the end-user with a way to focus on the data and analytics that matter and that are relevant and impactful to them and their organization. By allowing the user the ability to filter and set custom reporting settings, you are freeing up valuable work hours to focus on other aspects of business, with the confidence of knowing that the reporting aspects of your social media efforts are being addressed accordingly. From an organizational perspective, the better your ability to measure your successes and failures through the reporting and analytics cycle, the better your chances are of succeeding long term.

“Organizations are doing things with social that are very different than what they were doing just a couple years ago,” Howard said. “As these organizations start relying on social for more and more, we just have to level (our products) up.” Justyn Howard– CEO/Founder of Sprout Social

Lessons for Others

When it comes to the social media reporting landscape, there has been a steady influx of new software, technology and methods to look at, and sift through data analytics and metrics. All of these can be overwhelming at first glance, and for good reason. The key to getting the most out of these new innovative tools, is to understand which metrics are relevant to your business model. As an organization, it is vital to set out a framework and measurement strategy that will allow you to measure KPI’s that are relatable to your goals and objectives from a business stand point. Once you have formulated and defined these specific outcomes, you can then start to gain insight and value from your social media metrics and analysis reports.

If you have concerns as to the accuracy of anything posted on this site, please send your concerns to Peter Carr, Program Director, Social Media for Business Performance.

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