Key Social Media Metrics Every Business Owner Should Track

Don’t get caught up in the hustle of content creation. Posting daily, jumping on trends, and trying to keep your audience engaged. Get caught up in the fine print. If you’re not tracking the right numbers, you’re not driving the boat, you’re just riding the waves.

Social media isn’t just about likes and followers. It’s about strategy, storytelling, and smart metrics. And whether you’re a solopreneur or running a growing business, knowing which numbers to watch (and what they mean) can be the game-changer between spinning your wheels and building real momentum online.

Why Should You Track Your Social Media Metrics?

Let’s unpack the key social media metrics every business owner should track, and how to actually use them to fuel growth.

1. Reach: How Far Your Voice Travels.

Reach tells you how many unique users saw your content. It’s like measuring how many people walked past your shop window and noticed your display. This metric gives you a sense of your brand’s current visibility and helps you understand how well your content is being distributed.

If your reach is low, it could mean your content isn’t engaging enough for the algorithm to push it out, or it may not be resonating with your audience. But if your reach is growing steadily, you’re gaining exposure, and that’s step one to brand awareness.

Pro tip: Try boosting posts that already have decent organic reach. That means the content is working, you’re just giving it a little extra gas.

2. Impressions: The Silent Multiplier

Impressions and reach are often confused, but they’re not the same. While reach counts how many people saw your post, impressions track how many times it was seen. One person might scroll past your post multiple times, and each view counts as an impression.

This is especially helpful for understanding how often your audience is being exposed to your content. If your impressions are high, but your engagement is low, it might mean you’re visible, but not compelling. Time to tweak your messaging or design.

3. Engagement Rate: The Heartbeat of Social Success

This might just be the most important metric in your arsenal. Engagement rate measures how actively people interact with your content: likes, comments, saves, shares, and clicks. This is relative to how many people saw it. It tells you whether your content is sparking reactions, conversations, or action.

A high engagement rate = content that connects. 

A low rate = time to revisit your content strategy.

Different platforms have different benchmarks, but here’s a rough idea:

• Instagram: 1-3% is considered good.

• Facebook: Around 1%.

• TikTok: 5-10% and above is strong.

• LinkedIn: 2-5% is healthy for company pages.

  
  

We strive to get our clients 6-12% engagement with our organic community management strategy. This is when we are actively interacting with our client’s audience, like-audience, competitors’ audience, and if they’re a regional business, the geolocation audience as well. Want to improve your engagement? Ask more questions, show more personality, and always, always speak to your audience’s pain points or desires.

4. Follower Growth Rate: Beyond Vanity

Tracking your follower growth rate (not just your total count) helps you understand if your brand is gaining traction over time. Slow, consistent growth is actually better than sudden spikes because it often indicates that people are connecting with your message, not just jumping on a trend.

If your follower count is stagnant, ask yourself: am I giving people a reason to hit “follow”? Am I providing value consistently? Am I showing up where my ideal clients are spending their time?

Remember, it’s not about having more followers—it’s about having the right ones.

5. Click-Through Rate (CTR): When Curiosity Converts

CTR is crucial for measuring how many people clicked a link in your post, story, or bio. It’s a strong indicator of how compelling your call-to-action (CTA) is and how effectively you’re driving traffic to your website, sales page, or offer.

For example, if you post a reel promoting a new freebie and only 0.5% of viewers click the link in your bio, your visual might be great—but your CTA may need fine-tuning.

To boost your CTR, be direct. Use strong verbs, create urgency, and focus on the benefit. Instead of “Check out our blog,” try “Grab 5 free strategies to grow your biz—link in bio!”

6. Saves and Shares: Quiet Indicators of Value

These two are the unsung heroes of social metrics. When someone saves your post, it signals value and they want to come back to it. When someone shares it, they’re saying, “This is good enough to show others.” Both are powerful indicators of what’s truly resonating.

Unlike likes (which are more passive), saves and shares often reflect deeper interest and connection. Content that performs well here should be noted, studied, and repeated in your calendar.

7. Video Completion Rate: The Loyalty Test

In the age of reels, shorts, and stories, video is king, but not all videos are created equal.

Video completion rate tells you what percentage of viewers watched your video from beginning to end. This is your litmus test for storytelling. Did you grab attention in the first three seconds? Did you deliver value throughout? Did you wrap up with a satisfying close?

If people are dropping off halfway through, it’s time to analyze your pacing, structure, or visuals. You might need a stronger hook, more concise delivery, or subtitles for silent scrollers.

8. Top-Performing Content: Find the Patterns

This one isn’t a single metric—it’s a treasure map. Every month, take a look at your top 3-5 posts across platforms. What worked? Was it a carousel? A behind-the-scenes video? A bold opinion?

Look beyond the numbers. What tone did you use? What kind of visuals? What pain point did you speak to? Use those insights to guide future content, rather than reinventing the wheel every time. Success leaves clues, and so does your audience.

9. Story Views and Replies: Intimacy Metrics

Stories are where real-time engagement happens. Story views tell you how many people are still showing up for your content even when it’s less polished. Replies or DMs show your content sparked a conversation. This. Is. Gold. It is important in the relationship-building department.

If your story views are dropping, it could mean people are skipping past. Try switching up your content: behind-the-scenes peeks, polls, questions, countdowns, or mini-tutorials can reignite interest. Think of stories as a space to be more human, less curated.

10. Conversion Rate: The Bottom-Line Metric

At the end of the day, your content should lead somewhere, signups, sales, downloads, bookings. The conversion rate tells you how many people took action after engaging with your post.

Track how many clicked your link and completed the intended action. This is often done through tools like Google Analytics or custom tracking links (UTMs).

If you’re getting tons of clicks but low conversions, your content is doing its job, but your landing page might need help. Always align your message with your offer.

Conclusion

Tracking your social media metrics doesn’t have to be overwhelming or overly technical. It’s really about staying curious, about what works, what resonates, and what helps you serve your audience better.

Don’t just create to fill the feed, create with purpose. And let the numbers tell you what your audience is quietly asking for.

So next time you open up Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, or LinkedIn don’t just look at the likes. Look at the bigger picture. Because those numbers? They’re not just stats, but they’re signals. Stories. Strategies waiting to be unlocked. And when you understand your metrics, you stop playing small and start playing smart. I have some freebies for you. Click here for free resources to help you get started!

Ruth Sherrill Marketing Services is one of the best marketing agencies specializing in helping business owners to create engaging and shareable content that motivates and influences customers' actions. Keep up with us by following us on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok, or you can contact us for more information.