Vanity metrics are metrics that include the number of followers you have, or the number of likes and comments your instagram posts get. Whilst these numbers might make you feel good, or give your ego a boost, they are not a true indication of the overall success of your brand and business.
We're not saying they don’t matter; they are social media currency after all and, reviewed in context, these metrics can be used as a quick benchmark for how your content is performing, but they are not a real indication of sales conversions and return on investment.
Obviously, without followers, you don’t have an audience, so if follower numbers do matter to you, make sure your engagement rate is increasing at the same trajectory. If you see follower numbers increase but your engagement rate is going down, this may be a red flag. Either your content isn’t hitting the mark, or your content isn’t attracting your ideal follower, so you may need to revisit your social media strategy.
Vanity metrics can be used for a quick pulse check of the health of your brand in real-time, just don’t get too wrapped up in the numbers that you lose sight of what your business goals are.
Use vanity metrics to:
Pulse check how your content is performing over time
Fine-tune your content strategy
Determine if your content is resonating with your audience
Compare with competitors in your niche
Don’t use vanity metrics to:
Measure how well your brand is performing in terms of revenue and ROI (Return on Investment)
Lose sight of your overall business goals