We live in a society where it’s incredibly easy to look at social media as a visual measure of success. With the proliferation of stories of millionaire influencers, it’s tempting to get caught in the trap of proving your worth by boasting about the number of likes and followers you have.
It can take a while for the penny to drop that popularity on social media doesn’t translate to concrete income. Vanity metrics, like the number of followers you have, don’t equate to real success.
While measuring your influence on social media may be a great way to show off to your friends (or haters), it doesn’t help you earn money or become respected in your field. Rather, practical metrics such as sales, customers, and profits should be the priority.
Let’s explore why vanity metrics and clout-chasing are a waste of time for content marketing and how you can focus on metrics that matter.
Popularity is merely a distraction
With the rise of “growth hacking”, views, likes, and followers are becoming increasingly important for business owners. Unfortunately, these metrics often serve as a distraction from far more meaningful discussions about sustainable growth.
It’s easy to fixate on numbers and comparisons, rather than focusing on the quality of your content and its purpose. Teams can become preoccupied with going viral instead of focusing on the core mission of serving your clients. That can create a false sense of value, eventually diluting your brand.
Likes and followers don’t pay the bills — but engagement is key. If your content generates a lot of comments, shares, and likes, that’s a good sign that it’s resonating with your audience.
To measure the effectiveness of your content, focus on metrics like:
- Click-through rates (CTRs) to your website from social media posts or SEO efforts
- The number of new sign-ups for your newsletter, webinar, or lead magnet
- The bounce rate on key website pages
- Average page views and time spent on your web pages
- The number of social media shares, both directly from your website and on social media posts
- The number of new enquiries
These measures tell you how people are genuinely engaging with your content. Don’t let social media popularity fool you. Engagement rates are the real metric of success for content marketing.
To stay on top and not get lost in the hype, make sure your content is thought-provoking and written well, helping your audience meet their goals.
Does “award-winning” even mean anything?
Even if you don’t have a shelf full of awards, your efforts can still make a difference.
In fact, according to an industry forum article by Campaign Middle East, a leading publication for the region’s marketing and communications industry, only four of the 13 experts interviewed thought that industry awards were indicators of brand success.
It’s clear: what matters most is whether your content works for your audience and if that leads to conversions.
While it’s a great thing to be recognised for your standard of work and contributions to your industry, the number of accolades you have is irrelevant to your level of success.
Aim for targeted interactions instead
Quality over quantity. Not everyone is your ideal client, and it’s impossible to win everybody over. So, no need to die trying — you’re not 50 Cent.
Getting your client interactions right is a must for being successful. It helps you build trust with your prospects and clients, as well as create a more personalised experience.
Figure out what your target audience needs and likes so you can give them a better experience. You can do this in several ways, including:
- Segmenting your prospects into various groups
- Using the aforementioned data to pick out trends and preferences
- Taking the time to listen to your clients’ feedback
By personalising your communications, you can better respond to your audience’s needs and create more loyal relationships, sustainably. Focus on targeting specific audiences and engaging them in a way that benefits them. This means creating relevant, useful, and interesting content — not just content that yields the most likes or followers.
And don’t be afraid to experiment. Test different formats, strategies, and tactics to see what works best for your audience and your business.
The bottom line
The hamster wheel of chasing clout can be a major distraction from creating meaningful content.
Instead of seeking endless likes and followers, it’s crucial to focus on targeted interactions that are mindful, meaningful, and engaging. Doing this will help you create a lasting impression and a successful online presence — regardless of how many accolades and awards you have in the bag.
