Stars: ★★★★☆
Social Media Marketing/Analytics
306 pages
Summary: With so many social media monitoring and measurement tools available, it can be overwhelming to figure out which tool is right for you when it comes to calculating the success of your social media marketing efforts. This fun and friendly guide helps you determine which tool will serve you best for understanding your online audience. – dummies.com
As an analytical person, statistics and analytics interests me on almost any subject. I was intrigued when I was offered a chance to read Social Media Metrics for Dummies because I was in the midst of using social media more for blog promotion and I wanted to know how I was doing.
The book WAS over my head in some ways and is aimed more at a business that has customers and money to spend on analytics programs but that doesn’t mean I didn’t come away with good information. I just had to dodge in between the techy speak.
Part 1: Metrics? What the Heck is That?
This section covers the basics of what metrics are and how they are measured. Also specifically how metrics are used for businesses. there is also talk about how not all metrics are created equal and how to determine which ones to pay more attention too.
Then we are helped to find a metrics service to use and we learn how to use what you find and how to track your metrics.
In this part we look at different services, first at Google Analytics and then as a few others ones.
Part 2: Navigating The Measurement Jungle
Have you ever heard of the six stages of grief? Well this is the Six Stages of Metrics Grief. Sometimes your stats can be depressing, especially if you aren’t where you want to be. See the stages.
Learn the difference between how individuals vs. organizations use metrics. Learn about dashboards. How content factors into metrics and how to track different types of content (video, audio, photos, downloads etc.)
Part 3: Putting Your Metrics on Steroids
Now you know the basics, time to become a metrics guru: Testing, Tracking/Converting, Metrics History, Metrics for Feeds, etc.
Mobile and Email Metrics are also covered in this section. This is something I’m not ready to delve into very much but will com in handy. Some of the stuff in this chapter was over my head.
Part 4: Keeping Your Finger on the Pulse of Living, Breathing Metrics
Here you’ll find Metrics Mistakes and how to avoid them including fake metrics, surface metrics, metrics pitfalls and about not gaming the system. Also how to make metrics work for your brand including tracking social sharing and seeing how people find you. The chapter on branded metrics is way beyond the scope of a blog and therefore I mostly just skimmed that section.
Part 5: Taking the Deep Dive into Advanced Metrics
It was at this point I was thinking, weren’t we already talking about advanced stuff? I actually found some of the topics covered in this section LESS advanced than some of the ones in the last chapter.
This part covers page load times, video metrics, phone call data, social buttons, offline marketing and QR codes. It goes over making your Calls-to-Action work for you and how to use metrics to see if it is working. Also how to set goals for your metrics.
Part 6: Predicting Future Metrics
Find out where metrics is going in the future. Mobile App metrics and cutting-edge metrics ideas. Also talk about knowing what new things deserve measuring and more on new trends.
Finally, Part 7 which I didn’t mention above is the usual Part of Tens that you find in all For Dummies books. In the case of Social Media Metrics for Dummies you’ll find Ten cool ways to use metrics (metrics for things like fitness, finance, productivity or relationships) and ten useful metrics services and metrics tools.
You can check out three excerpts available from the Wiley website (see right-side.)
*I or a member of my review team received product from a company or PR agency for evaluation purposes. Some links above may be affiliate links. All review are honest.
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