Social media is no longer just a platform to share updates—it’s a vital tool for growing your business, connecting with customers, and making data-driven decisions to improve your strategy. However, understanding the analytics behind each platform can be overwhelming. In this blog, we’ll explore how to leverage social media insights from Google, YouTube (including Shorts), LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram, to optimise your organic marketing and get better results online. 

Why Social Media Insights Matter for Your Business 

Social media insights are the foundation of any effective marketing strategy. They tell you what’s working, what’s not, and how to refine your content to resonate with your audience. By regularly analysing these metrics, you can: 

• Identify your target audience’s preferences. 

• Adjust content for higher engagement. 

• Improve your ROI by focusing on what delivers results. 

• Stay ahead of trends and keep your brand relevant. 

 

Google Listings: Boost Local SEO and Customer Engagement 

Why it Matters: Your Google Business Profile is a game-changer for local businesses. It helps your business appear in local search results and Google Maps, driving customer actions like calls, visits, and website clicks. 

Key Metrics to Track: 

• Search Queries: Understand what customers are searching to find your business. 

• Customer Actions: Calls, directions, and website clicks show how people interact with your listing. 

• Views: Determine where your business is most visible—on Google Search or Maps. 

How to Use Data for Strategy: 

• Example: If you notice more views on Maps compared to Search, consider optimising your address and adding geo-targeted keywords like “best coffee near Brisbane.” 

• Post regular updates about offers, events, or new products to boost engagement. 

• Focus on improving customer reviews to increase your ranking. 

 

YouTube (Including Shorts): Build Authority and Expand Reach 

Why it Matters: YouTube is the second-largest search engine, offering incredible potential to reach your audience with long-form videos and Shorts. Shorts are YouTube’s short video format, designed to capture attention quickly and boost visibility. 

Key Metrics to Track: 

• Watch Time and Retention: Identify the content that keeps viewers engaged. 

• Traffic Sources: Know whether your views come from search, suggested videos, or external links. 

• Click-Through Rate (CTR): Measure how compelling your thumbnails and titles are. 

• Shorts-Specific Analytics: 

• Views and Reach: See how many people watch your Shorts. 

• Engagement Rate: Likes, comments, and shares indicate how engaging your Shorts are. 

• Completion Rate: Determine whether viewers watch your Shorts all the way through. 

How to Use Data for Strategy: 

• Example: If retention rates for Shorts drop after 10 seconds, focus on creating stronger hooks or more visually engaging content upfront. 

• Create more Shorts on high-performing topics to capitalise on audience interest. 

• Use Shorts to tease longer-form content, driving traffic to your main videos. 

• Optimise your thumbnails and titles to improve CTR. 

 

LinkedIn: Drive B2B Engagement and Thought Leadership 

Why it Matters: LinkedIn is the ultimate platform for B2B networking and personal branding. It helps establish thought leadership and connect with decision-makers in your industry. 

Key Metrics to Track: 

• Impressions and Engagement Rates: Measure how well your content resonates with your audience. 

• Profile Views: Track whether your posts are driving curiosity about your profile or business. 

• Follower Demographics: Understand who’s engaging with your brand based on job roles and industries. 

How to Use Data for Strategy: 

• Example: If engagement rates are higher on posts targeting “marketing managers,” refine your content to speak directly to their pain points, such as “How to Maximise Your Marketing Budget.” 

• Focus on posts that generate high engagement, such as thought leadership articles. 

• Adjust your messaging if your ideal audience isn’t engaging. 

• Post during peak times when your audience is most active. 

 

Facebook: Build Community and Drive Traffic 

Why it Matters: Facebook remains one of the most versatile platforms for engaging with diverse audiences and driving organic traffic to your website. 

Key Metrics to Track: 

• Post Reach and Impressions: Measure how far your content is spreading, and to followers or non-followers. 

• Engagement Rates: Determine whether your audience is interacting with your posts. 

• Reels Performance: Use the Insights Dashboard to track Reels’ reach, saves, and shares. 

How to Use Data for Strategy: 

• Reels Analytics: 

• Check content-level insights to see which Reels generate the most saves or shares. 

• Monitor completion rates (how many people watch your Reels from start to finish). 

Example: If a Reel with “quick tips” has a higher completion rate than a promotional one, pivot to creating more value-driven, bite-sized Reels. 

• Focus on content types (e.g., videos or polls) that generate the most engagement. 

• Boost posts or Reels with high organic reach to expand visibility. 

 

Instagram: Inspire and Engage with Visual Content 

Why it Matters: Instagram is the ideal platform for visually showcasing your brand and building deep connections with your audience. 

Key Metrics to Track: 

• Engagement: Look at likes, comments, shares, and saves to identify what resonates. 

• Reach and Impressions: Measure the visibility of your content. 

• Reels Performance: Check both the Insights Dashboard and content-level analytics for: 

• Reach and Plays: Measure the number of people your Reel reaches versus how many actually play it. 

• Saves and Shares: These are indicators of valuable content. 

• Watch Time and Completion Rate: Low completion rates may mean your hook needs improvement. 

How to Use Data for Strategy: 

• Example: If Reels about behind-the-scenes processes outperform product shots, focus on storytelling content that showcases your team or culture. 

• Double down on high-performing content formats like Reels or carousels. 

• Use Instagram Stories to create authentic, behind-the-scenes content. 

• Regularly update hashtags to improve reach and target new audiences. 

 

How to Make Data-Driven Decisions Across All Platforms 

Regardless of the platform, these best practices will help you turn insights into actionable strategies: 

1. Set Clear Goals: Define what success looks like (e.g., more engagement, website traffic, or conversions). 

1. Experiment and Refine: A/B test content types, posting times, and calls-to-action to optimise performance. 

1. Report Regularly: Create monthly dashboards to track performance and trends. 

1. Engage Actively: Use insights to personalise your responses to audience comments and queries. 

1. Stay Agile: Social media algorithms change frequently—adapt your strategy accordingly. 

 

Take the Guesswork Out of Social Media Management 

Social media insights are a goldmine, but extracting their full potential requires expertise, focus, and a clear strategy. That’s where I come in. 

Let me help you and your team build a strategy that works. Whether you need guidance on optimising YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, or any platform’s analytics, I can train your marketing managers, refine your content plan, and deliver data-driven strategies tailored to your business goals. Contact me today to turn your social media chaos into a well-oiled marketing machine! 

Download our Checklist for VA marketing management here or visit our website.