One of the best tools for measuring social media activity is right in front of you, and it's free: Google Analytics. If you don't have it set up to monitor your website, you're missing out on extensive and easy-to-catch data that can help you optimize your PR campaigns on social media.
There's deep knowledge to be gained from the data found in Google Analytics. The platform will be explored extensively at PR News' Boot Camp: Google for Communicators, which is taking place Dec. 10 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Ahead of the boot camp, here's a quick how-to, courtesy of Ray Larson and Chris Baldock from Brandpoint, looking at two important PR measurements using Google Analytics:
- Where your visitors come from
- What activity they engage in on your site
To find this information, locate your Acquisition tab and Behavior tab on the left of your screen.
- Acquisition tab: Go to the "Social" drop-down menu under the Acquisition tab to see what type of impact your social message created. Select the "Overview" section to see a table of the social networks that drove traffic to your website.
- Behavior tab: The tab explores exactly what its name suggests. It maps the behavior of all your visitors—what they do and where they go on your site. In the "Overview" section, you'll see the landing pages on which your visitors came into the site. This is a great place to measure your social reach.
Another great option for monitoring the success of a social media campaign is within the Behavior Flow section. Here you'll be able to narrow the visitors to just the medium they came to the site from. You'll then be able to understand what those visitors from your social platforms are doing once on your site.
Register now for PR News' Boot Camp: Google for Communicators, being held Dec. 10 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.
It all comes down to where visitors come from, and what they do when they get there. Two important PR metrics that can serve as the basis for a strategy that works.