Twitter Metrics

<h1>Twitter Metrics</h1>Author: <a title="Ryan Nokes" href="http://www.articlesbase.com/authors/ryan-nokes/184747.htm">Ryan Nokes</a> Though there is a metric to measure almost anything, the goal is to avoid analysis paralysis. As marketers, we want to focus on what is critical to our success and measure only those things. By tracking those metrics over time, we can see if we have moved the needle closer to our goal or not. There are various programs out there claiming to have robust Twitter metrics, like the ones featured below. However, we fail to see how these apply to anything. They don’t tie into anything specific. <img src="http://vaultanalytics.com/marketinganalytics/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Simple-Twitter-Metrics-300x247.png" alt="Sample Twitter Metrics Dashboard" title="Sample Twitter Metrics Dashboard" /> <h2>Tied Back to Goals</h2> Critical success factors can generally be classified under three questions: <ul> <li> Does it build revenue?</li> <li>Does it improve efficiency/reduce costs?</li> <li>Does it build brand loyalty?</li> </ul> Ask yourself why you tweet. Because all of your metrics need to tie back somehow to one of those overarching goals above. Otherwise, you will end up like <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeLZCy-_m3s">these guys</a> (pursuing a goal that becomes rediculous in its fulfillment).  Looking forward to Flutter Eyes, for sure. <h2>Twitter Analytics</h2> For the rest of us that are trying to get real value out of Twitter, it’s time to incorporate Twitter analytics. Twitter analytics takes the existing tools and uses them to track metrics that are tied back to your marketing goals. Last time I listed several ways businesses are using Twitter. This post is going to create measurable metrics for those as much as possible. Drive targeted website traffic <ul> <li>Tweet Conversion Ratio = # Site Visits from Twitter / # of Twitter Followers (or new Twitter followers)</li> </ul> Build brand loyalty and buzz <ul> <li>Twitter Friends = # of Twitter Followers over time (watch for upward trends)</li> <li>Retweet Ratio = # of Retweets / Total Tweets in a given period of time</li> </ul> Obtain opinion data from a diverse group, perform simple market research <ul> <li> Reply Ratio = # Replies / Total Tweets in a given period of time</li> </ul> Direct people’s attention to good information or valuable content <ul> <li>Clickthrough Ratio = (# Clickthroughs per link) / Total Tweets with Links</li> </ul> Track memes and trends <ul> <li> # of Tweets in given period vs. Google Trends graph of specific subject/topic</li> </ul> Gather competitive intelligence <ul> <li> Competitive Intelligence Ratio = # of Tweets about Competitors / Total Tweets about Industry (e.g. The number of mentions Avinash gets vs. Omniture vs. web analytics in general)</li> </ul> Manage customer service, create a brand index <ul> <li> (Positive Tweets – Negative Tweets) / Total Tweets</li> </ul> Create a tribe <ul> <li> # of New Followers per Tweet</li> </ul> Each of these ratios will give you a percentage. The higher the percentage, the better. If percentages are low, it’s time to experiment and try something new. Perhaps posting more frequently, or maybe less frequently, or adjusting the content you share, or the way you present information, will help you improve your ratios. <h2>Using the metrics</h2> Answer the following questions with the following metrics: How often do I post on Twitter? (substitute blogs for tweets for blogging) <ul> <li> Measures whether or not you are worth following, subscribing to, or listening to</li> <li># Tweets / # Months (or weeks) Tweeting (<a href="http://www.kaushik.net/avinash/2007/11/blog-metrics-six-recommendations-for-measuring-your-success.html">Thanks Avinash</a>!)</li> </ul> How strong are my calls-to-action in my Tweets? <ul> <li> # of @ Replies / Total Tweets (or total tweets with a call to action)</li> </ul> How much of the information I share is being absorbed? <ul> <li> This metric is a little tricky. The average human reads about 200 words a minute. Assuming it is a link to your own site, compute the following ratios:</li> </ul> <ul> <li> Absorption Ratio (minutes to read) = # Words in blog post (or whatever) / 250</li> </ul> <ul> <li> Use the clickthrough ratio in conjunction with this metric as well as your analytics stats to see what the average time spent on your site is. This will help you understand how much information you share is actually being absorbed.</li> </ul> Is my audience growing? <ul> <li> Trended stats of Twitter followers, blog readership, blog subscribers.</li> </ul> What brings people to my site? <ul> <li> Use the traffic report to analyze keywords bringing in traffic from Twitter in Google Analytics</li> </ul> How can I tie my information into trendy topics? <ul> <li> Use Google Trends</li> <li>Since a lot of people search for trendy topics, like Paris Hilton, you have the opportunity to potentially grab more followers by tying into a trendy topic that gets a lot of searches</li> </ul>About the Author: Ryan Nokes is the Chief Marketing Officer of Vault Analytics, a firm that uses <a href="http://vaultanalytics.com/marketing-roi.htm">marketing analytics</a> to help companies develop and implement measurable marketing programs. Ryan specializes in working with small and medium-sized businesses, as well as new start-ups to improve their marketing strategies, build brand awareness, and increase their client base. Contact him for a free consultation on how to increase your <a href="http://vaultanalytics.com/contact-us.html">marketing ROI</a>.Article Source: <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/">ArticlesBase.com</a> - <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/internet-marketing-articles/twitter-metrics-1101391.html" title="Twitter Metrics">Twitter Metrics</a>

Though there is a metric to measure almost anything, the goal is to avoid analysis paralysis. As marketers, we want to focus on what is critical to our success and measure only those things. By tracking those metrics over time, we can see if we have moved the needle closer to our goal or not.

There are various programs out there claiming to have robust Twitter metrics, like the ones featured below. However, we fail to see how these apply to anything. They don’t tie into anything specific.

Tied Back to Goals

Critical success factors can generally be classified under three questions:

Does it build revenue?
Does it improve efficiency/reduce costs?
Does it build brand loyalty?

Ask yourself why you tweet. Because all of your metrics need to tie back somehow to one of those overarching goals above. Otherwise, you will end up like these guys (pursuing a goal that becomes rediculous in its fulfillment). Looking forward to Flutter Eyes, for sure.

Twitter Analytics

For the rest of us that are trying to get real value out of Twitter, it’s time to incorporate Twitter analytics. Twitter analytics takes the existing tools and uses them to track metrics that are tied back to your marketing goals.

Last time I listed several ways businesses are using Twitter. This post is going to create measurable metrics for those as much as possible.

Drive targeted website traffic

Tweet Conversion Ratio = # Site Visits from Twitter / # of Twitter Followers (or new Twitter followers)

Build brand loyalty and buzz

Twitter Friends = # of Twitter Followers over time (watch for upward trends)
Retweet Ratio = # of Retweets / Total Tweets in a given period of time

Obtain opinion data from a diverse group, perform simple market research

Reply Ratio = # Replies / Total Tweets in a given period of time

Direct people’s attention to good information or valuable content

Clickthrough Ratio = (# Clickthroughs per link) / Total Tweets with Links

Track memes and trends

# of Tweets in given period vs. Google Trends graph of specific subject/topic

Gather competitive intelligence

Competitive Intelligence Ratio = # of Tweets about Competitors / Total Tweets about Industry (e.g. The number of mentions Avinash gets vs. Omniture vs. web analytics in general)

Manage customer service, create a brand index

(Positive Tweets – Negative Tweets) / Total Tweets

Create a tribe

# of New Followers per Tweet

Each of these ratios will give you a percentage. The higher the percentage, the better. If percentages are low, it’s time to experiment and try something new. Perhaps posting more frequently, or maybe less frequently, or adjusting the content you share, or the way you present information, will help you improve your ratios.

Using the metrics

Answer the following questions with the following metrics:

How often do I post on Twitter? (substitute blogs for tweets for blogging)

Measures whether or not you are worth following, subscribing to, or listening to
# Tweets / # Months (or weeks) Tweeting (Thanks Avinash!)

How strong are my calls-to-action in my Tweets?

# of @ Replies / Total Tweets (or total tweets with a call to action)

How much of the information I share is being absorbed?

This metric is a little tricky. The average human reads about 200 words a minute. Assuming it is a link to your own site, compute the following ratios:

Absorption Ratio (minutes to read) = # Words in blog post (or whatever) / 250

Use the clickthrough ratio in conjunction with this metric as well as your analytics stats to see what the average time spent on your site is. This will help you understand how much information you share is actually being absorbed.

Is my audience growing?

Trended stats of Twitter followers, blog readership, blog subscribers.

What brings people to my site?

Use the traffic report to analyze keywords bringing in traffic from Twitter in Google Analytics

How can I tie my information into trendy topics?

Use Google Trends
Since a lot of people search for trendy topics, like Paris Hilton, you have the opportunity to potentially grab more followers by tying into a trendy topic that gets a lot of searches

Ryan Nokes is the Chief Marketing Officer of Vault Analytics, a firm that uses marketing analytics to help companies develop and implement measurable marketing programs. Ryan specializes in working with small and medium-sized businesses, as well as new start-ups to improve their marketing strategies, build brand awareness, and increase their client base. Contact him for a free consultation on how to increase your marketing ROI.

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Article Tags: Marketing Analytics, Social Media Metrics, Tweet Ratio, Twitter Analytics, Twitter Metrics

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