JD

Comprehensive Notes on Organic Social Media Metrics and Strategy (Transcript-Based)

Attendance and assessment context

  • The session started with a note that attendance may pick up; moderator keeps records via a data sheet to track student progress across classes.
  • Observation on sourcing in assessments: a rule of thumb mentioned is about one reference per 100 words (see below for formula). A quarter of assessments were noted to lack adequate sourcing.
  • Example given: for a 2,000-word report with only 7 references, that’s a red flag indicating insufficient research. General rule referenced to first-year students: roughly one reference per 100 words.
  • Other students’ work cited: one submission had about 156 pages with around 60 references; many submissions ranged around 20–30 references for 24–30 page assignments.
  • Moderation process: instructor uses a data sheet to monitor everyone’s performance across courses.
  • Emphasis on argument quality: without backing rationale with academic literature, a piece remains opinion-based rather than research-based.
  • Descriptive vs critical analysis: students are becoming good at describing phenomena but need more critical analysis (the “muscle” to critique and synthesize literature).
  • Overall class average: the instructor estimates around 70–71% across his class and others.

Key concepts: metrics for organic social media

  • Today’s focus: organic social media metrics—what to measure, what matters, and why.
  • Learning objectives: critique an example, discuss important KPIs, and run a activities-based session on new social metrics.

Reach vs Impressions: definitions and differences

  • Reach
    • Definition: the number of unique accounts that have seen the post.
    • Example: 100 people viewed a post → reach = 100.
  • Impressions
    • Definition: the total number of times the post was viewed (counting multiple views by the same user).
    • Example: 200 impressions with 100 reach → average frequency = 2.
  • Frequency formula
    • ext{Frequency} = rac{I}{R}
    • If reach = 100 and impressions = 200, then frequency = rac{200}{100} = 2. This means, on average, each viewer saw the post twice.
  • High frequency caveat
    • Very high frequency (e.g., reach = 100, impressions = 1000) implies a frequency of 10, which may indicate content fatigue or overexposure.
    • Actionability: high frequency often signals the need to refresh content or change posting strategy.
  • Reach vs impressions vs profile engagement
    • Reach measures how far the post has traveled (how many accounts). Impressions measure total views. Profile views can be high even if post engagement is low; post engagement is more indicative of content resonance than mere profile views.

Why these metrics matter for strategy

  • Reach and impressions are view metrics that inform how far content travels and how often it’s seen.
  • Frequency signal:
    • Moderate frequency suggests sustained exposure without fatigue.
    • Very high frequency often correlates with waning engagement or negative sentiment.
  • Content fatigue
    • Content needs to change over time; pushing the same content leads to declining performance even if initial results were strong.
  • Engagement types and quality
    • Likes/hearts indicate approval but are limited; comments provide richer qualitative feedback and feed into the algorithm to improve distribution.
    • The algorithm tends to favor engagement-rich posts; comments generally offer higher signal than passive likes.
  • Negative vs positive engagement
    • On some platforms, negative engagement can drive visibility more than positive engagement; the lecture notes highlight that negative sentiment can spread quickly and influence algorithmic promotion.
    • A general statistic cited: people are three times more likely to talk about something negatively than positively.
  • Post vs profile engagement
    • A post with high engagement may be more effective than a profile-wide engagement (which could be driven by a small subset of the audience).
  • Algorithm awareness
    • Algorithms continually adjust to engagement patterns; changes on one platform (e.g., Meta, YouTube, Twitch) can ripple across ecosystems and affect reach and impressions.
  • Practical takeaway
    • For strategy, focus on post-level engagement (likes, comments) and retention (frequency, reach) rather than relying solely on follower counts or profile visits.

Other core metrics and concepts

  • Follower count
    • Baseline metric for channels like Instagram and TikTok; used to gauge audience size.
    • Note: follower distributions can vary by platform; some brands accumulate more on Facebook than Instagram in some cases.
  • Audience growth rate
    • Tracks net follower growth over time; a healthy strategy balances gaining and losing followers as posting frequency and content strategy evolve.
  • Social Share of Voice (SSoV)
    • Measures brand mentions relative to competitors.
    • Usually requires a third-party social listening tool rather than relying on native platform metrics.

Engagement KPIs: likes, comments, and their role

  • Engagement KPIs for organic content include: likes/hearts, comments, shares, and saves (where applicable).
  • Quality of engagement matters:
    • A like is a light signal; a comment indicates deeper consideration and can improve reach via the algorithm.
    • Discussion and conversation signals are valued by algorithms to determine who to show content to next.
  • Negative tone and engagement quality
    • The lecture notes point to an environment where the most engaging content may have a negative tone; the algorithm often promotes high-engagement content regardless of sentiment.
  • Practical implication
    • Balance content to maximize positive engagement and constructive discussions, while mitigating harmful or sensational negative content.

Instagram content types: Stories, Reels, Posts, Highlights

  • Stories
    • Short-lived; great for real-time updates; strong for engaging current followers; relies on follower base interaction.
  • Reels
    • Short-form videos designed to attract new audiences; heavy use of audio/music and discovery via sounds.
  • Posts
    • Core feed content; can be video or image; supports long-form storytelling and evergreen content.
  • Highlights
    • A collection of past stories saved to profile as evergreen sections; helps new visitors understand brand narrative.
  • Differences and strategy implications
    • Stories target existing followers; Reels target new audience discovery; Posts support stable branding; Highlights curate key messages.
  • Cross-platform dynamics
    • Instagram emphasis on video content; broader rollout of video features; Facebook may have different engagement patterns; cross-posting is not always effective due to audience differences.
  • YouTube Shorts vs Instagram Reels
    • Shorts are YouTube’s answer to short-form video; often require different pacing, hooks, and analytics; audience overlaps but performance indicators differ across platforms.

Content calendar and strategic planning

  • Content calendar planning
    • Build around a consistent cadence; test posting times and days to determine when audiences are most online.
    • Use data to reverse-engineer a schedule (e.g., Thursdays for humor if data indicates higher engagement then).
  • Content pillars
    • Define core themes or pillars for organic content (e.g., education, community, product tips).
    • Each pillar should tie to customer journey stages and brand goals.
  • Customer journey and content alignment
    • Identify the stage of the journey the organic content targets (awareness, consideration, conversion, loyalty).
    • Align content pillars with journey stages and with paid media to support the funnel.
  • SMART objectives (as applied to organic campaigns)
    • The term SMART is used for setting precise goals; the teacher emphasizes the need for context and relevance rather than purely generic targets.
    • Example of a business objective: increase sales by 10%.
    • Important caution: an awareness campaign alone is not typically sufficient to directly drive sales; objectives must reflect realistic outcomes for the chosen campaign type.
  • Content development deliverables
    • Two content pieces per organic pillar (to illustrate and validate the pillar).
    • Two content pieces for paid social that complement the organic pieces.
    • Each piece should include a rationale paragraph explaining its relevance to the pillar and audience.
  • Content creation and attribution
    • If third-party images are used, acknowledge sources.
    • If AI-generated content is used, disclose AI involvement on a cover sheet or within the narrative.
  • Practical deliverables and constraints
    • You may present content as a description or a layout/draft; the instructor accepts sketches or wireframes as long as the concept is clear.
  • Use of paid media to back up organic strategy
    • Paid media can amplify organic reach, target specific audiences, and test messaging at scale.

Strategy for Endeavor: a contextual critique (classroom example)

  • Current assessment: Endeavor’s social media strategy is stagnating; inconsistent posting and engagement patterns.
  • Observations on platform performance
    • Engagement appears higher on Instagram (especially stories) than on Facebook, where engagement activity like replying to comments is less evident.
    • There is a lack of cross-posting of stories to Facebook and limited engagement on Facebook.
    • Instagram’s emphasis on stories and reels implies content should be diversified across formats (stories, reels, highlights) rather than relying heavily on static posts.
  • Content type differences and optimization
    • Stories and reels require different approaches; a content calendar should differentiate formats rather than reuse the same content across formats.
    • Understanding the role of reels vs stories is essential for attracting new audiences vs engaging existing followers.
  • Platform evolution and regional rollout
    • Some platforms test new features in certain regions (e.g., Australia) before broader rollout; platform behavior changes (e.g., algorithm updates) can affect outcomes quickly.
  • Recommendations (summary)
    • Develop a clear content calendar with consistent posting to improve engagement.
    • Use two primary platforms (e.g., Instagram for engagement; YouTube Shorts for discovery) and tailor content to each platform’s strengths.
    • Implement an influencer strategy that includes objective-driven campaigns, identification of appropriate influencers, and collaborations that align with brand values.
    • Build an influencer strategy around events or campaigns (rallies, community events) with assets and activation ideas.
    • Integrate paid media to back up organic efforts (awareness, consideration, conversion) and use measurement to refine campaigns.
    • Evaluate the customer journey to ensure content is targeted to the appropriate stage; create one content pillar for organic and one for paid that complements each other.
  • Competitive analysis and GEO considerations
    • Check competitors’ ads on Facebook to identify gaps and opportunities; Endeavor’s lack of Facebook ads could indicate strategic misalignment or resource constraints.
  • GEO and SEO implications
    • SEO and digital footprints are influenced by social activity; consider how social signals affect search visibility and online presence.

Active Life Fitness (ALF) example: organic social strategy critique

  • Target audience and problem
    • ALF: target group is young mothers with guilt about physical activity; need to reduce guilt and facilitate engagement in fitness.
  • Strategic approach
    • Build a community of support for young mothers to empower decision-making about fitness; promote services that make gym use practical (timing, childcare, flexibility).
  • Do's and don'ts in messaging
    • Do: emphasize social support, practical solutions, and empowerment.
    • Don’t: guilt-trip or shame; avoid imagery that reinforces stigma about body types; avoid language implying ‘getting back on track’ as a moral fail.
  • Content ideas and themes
    • Promote a mother-and-baby class concept; emphasize community and inclusivity; showcase diverse instructors and participants.
    • Highlight daycare/childcare as a value-add; address practical barriers (time, accessibility).
  • Creative examples and language
    • Use language that builds a supportive community (e.g., “We are here for you,” “You will be welcomed,” “Mum-and-baby classes”).
    • Avoid exclusive or intimidating imagery; promote diversity and inclusive representation.
  • Potential content concepts to avoid
    • Avoid imagery that suggests a single body ideal; avoid reinforcing stigma around motherhood or fitness.
  • Practical considerations for ALF organic plan
    • Build content that demonstrates social support and community engagement.
    • Create content pillars focused on empowerment, accessibility, and family-friendly options.
  • Daycare and niche targeting
    • Acknowledge existing services like daycare and tailor content to households that need these services.
  • Ethical considerations
    • Ensure diverse representation; promote inclusivity; avoid stereotyping or excluding any demographic group.

Organic vs paid integration: brand Maya example (planning task)

  • Planning exercise context
    • Propose an organic social plan for Maya that avoids repurposing existing content.
    • Identify content pillars that align with Maya’s brand and audience; sketch a schedule.
  • Content pillars and audience targets
    • Define content pillars that align with Maya’s audience (e.g., beauty, lifestyle, tutorials, seasonal campaigns) and create pillar-specific content pieces.
  • Two content pieces per pillar (organic and paid)
    • Develop two organic content concepts and two paid concepts that complement each other; provide a paragraph explaining why each piece is relevant to the pillar.
  • YouTube Shorts and platform differences
    • If using YouTube Shorts, differentiate style and messaging from Instagram Reels to account for distinct audience behavior and discovery patterns.
  • Content sourcing and disclosure
    • If using stock images, provide sources; if AI-generated content is used, disclose it; ensure cover sheet includes AI disclosures when applicable.
  • Deliverables and alternatives
    • Consider providing layout sketches or wireframes as an alternative to fully produced content while ensuring the concept’s rationale is clear.
  • Final recommendation expectations
    • The plan should clearly connect content pillars to client goals, justify posting schedules, and demonstrate how organic and paid work together to achieve business outcomes.

Practical takeaways and next steps

  • Always tie campaigns to a clear customer journey stage and business objective (e.g., awareness, consideration, conversion).

  • Use a content calendar to test formats, posting times, and themes; iterate based on data.

  • Differentiate content formats by platform and audience; avoid assuming one format fits all channels.

  • Ensure ethical and inclusive messaging; disclose AI usage and image sourcing.

  • Use two pillars for organic and paid, with two content pieces per pillar; provide justification paragraphs for each piece.

  • Include competitive analysis and GEO considerations to tailor local campaigns.

  • Remember the rule: a post’s reach and impressions reveal exposure; frequency reveals repetition, which should be managed to avoid fatigue.

  • Key formulas to remember:

    • Frequency: f = \frac{I}{R}
    • Expected references given word count: R \approx \frac{W}{100}

  • Key distinctions:

    • Reach = number of unique accounts that saw the post; Impressions = total views of the post; Frequency = average times each account saw the post.
    • Stories target existing followers; Reels target new audiences; Shorts on YouTube support discovery of longer videos.

  • Ethical and practical reminders

    • Always acknowledge sources for imagery; disclose AI use; craft inclusive messaging; avoid gimmicky or manipulative tactics.