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In today’s data-driven world, the ability to track, measure, and analyze your social media performance is essential to both staying competitive, and proving the ROI of your social media work.
In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about social media reports, including what they are, why they matter, and how to create them efficiently.
What is a social media report?
A social media report is a document that consolidates data from your social media channels, offering insights into performance, engagement, growth, and other relevant metrics over a specific period. These reports serve as a powerful tool for analyzing your efforts and making informed decisions about future campaigns.
Whether you’re reporting to executives, clients, or your internal team, social media reports provide a clear snapshot of what’s working and what needs improvement. Beyond that, they offer valuable insights into your audience's preferences and behaviors, which can help refine your content strategy.
Why are social media reports important?
- They can help you track progress towards goals: Regular reports allow you to measure how well your social media efforts are aligning with your broader business objectives.
- They can help you optimize wider marketing campaigns: Reviewing key metrics helps you understand what’s resonating with your audience and what’s falling flat, enabling you to adjust your content and strategy.
- They increase stakeholder visibility: Reports keep your team and stakeholders informed about the progress and success of your social media initiatives, providing tangible proof of ROI.
- They can help you identify trends and patterns: Reports highlight trends, patterns, and anomalies in performance, helping you anticipate future opportunities or risks.
What to include in a social media report
The specifics of what to include in your social media report will depend on the platforms you’re active on, the goals you’re working toward, and who will be reading the report. However, here are some essential elements:
1. Overview of platforms
Start by detailing the platforms you're reporting on—Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, X, Threads, Pinterest—each platform will likely require its own set of metrics, so it's important to report on them individually.
2. Your Social Media Goals
Always relate the metrics back to your social media goals. Are you trying to increase brand awareness? Boost engagement? Drive website traffic? By tying metrics to objectives, you'll be able to present data in a way that highlights your successes and provides context for areas that need improvement. Outlining these goals at the top of your report will help to contextualize your metrics, and enable your reader to see the bigger picture.
3. Key metrics
Your chosen platforms will dictate the metrics you should report on. Here’s a breakdown of key metrics to consider for each platform:
- Instagram & Facebook: Engagement rate, follower growth, impressions, reach, content performance (e.g. likes, shares, comments)
- LinkedIn: Post engagement, click-through rate (CTR), impressions, audience growth
- TikTok: Video views, likes, comments, shares, follower growth, completion rate
- X: Retweets, likes, mentions, follower growth, impressions, engagement rate
The goals you’ve set will also guide you in selecting which metrics are most important. For example, if you're looking to increase brand awareness, you’ll want to focus on metrics like reach, impressions, and follower growth.
It’s also important to contextualize your metrics. Include comparisons to industry benchmarks so you can assess your performance against competitors, or to a previous reporting period to measure your own improvement.
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4. Top-performing content
Include an analysis of your top-performing content for the period you're reporting on. What content types (e.g., video, images, infographics) drove the most engagement? Which posts had the best reach?
5. Bottom-performing content
It’s equally important to know what doesn’t work. Take note of which posts bombed, and include insights as to what you think went wrong.
6. Audience Insights
Understanding your audience is crucial for refining your strategy. Include demographic breakdowns (age, location, gender) and behavioral insights that could inform future content creation.
Step-by-step guide to creating a social media report
- Determine who it’s for Understanding the audience for your report is the first step. Are you creating a report for the head of marketing, the CEO, or a client? Different stakeholders will care about different data points, so tailor the report accordingly.
- Consider the reporting frequency How often will you need to create these reports? Monthly? Quarterly? Or is this report a one-off? Knowing the frequency helps you set up templates and workflows that save time in the long run.
- Outline your social media goals Before diving into the metrics, clearly outline your social media goals. For example, if your goal is to increase website traffic, then metrics like click-through rates (CTR) and referral traffic from social platforms should be prioritized in your report. If it’s all about brand awareness, you’ll want to emphasize metrics such as reach, impressions, views, and shares.
- Gather your data Most social media platforms have built-in analytics tools that allow you to gather data on performance. Use these tools to collect metrics like impressions, reach, engagement rates, and follower growth. Tools like Sked Social can streamline this process by offering integrated analytics across multiple platforms.
- Analyze your performance Look at your metrics in the context of your goals. Identify trends in your data, both positive and negative, and provide insights into what these trends mean for your future social media strategy. For example, if engagement rates are declining on X, you might want to adjust your posting frequency or content style.
- Visualize the data Present your data in a clear, visually appealing format. Charts and graphs make it easier for stakeholders to understand trends at a glance. Most social media managers opt for tools that automate this process, making it easier to create polished, presentation-ready reports.
- Include insights and recommendations Data alone isn’t enough—context and recommendations are key. Explain the story behind the numbers, highlight successes, and suggest actionable next steps based on your analysis. For example, if video posts consistently outperform images, recommend increasing your video content production.
Sked Social’s custom report builder: take your reports to the next level
Building a thorough social media report doesn’t have to be a time-consuming task. With Sked Social’s Custom Report Builder, you can generate custom reports tailored—complete with editable AI summaries—to your needs in just a few clicks.
Final thoughts
Creating regular social media reports is essential for staying on top of your performance and ensuring your social media strategy is continuously improving. By following this step-by-step guide and using tools like Sked Social’s Custom Report Builder, you’ll be able to create insightful, actionable reports that help drive your social media success.
Ready to streamline your social media reporting? Try Sked Social’s Custom Report Builder today and take the hassle out of data analysis.