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6 Social Media Analytics Metrics Every Content Creator Should Track
Learn the 6 essential social media analytics metrics every content creator should track to grow their audience and boost engagement.
Nikhil Wad
October 15, 2025
In partnership with
You're posting consistently, engaging with your audience, and putting out great content. But are you actually measuring what matters?
Today, we're cutting through the vanity metrics to reveal the 6 analytics metrics that will actually help you grow your social media presence and turn your content into results.
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1. Engagement Rate (Not Just Likes)
Why it matters: Engagement rate tells you how much your audience actually cares about your content, not just how many people follow you.
How to calculate it: (Likes + Comments + Shares + Saves) ÷ Total Followers × 100
What to look for: Aim for 3-6% for most platforms. Anything above that means you've struck gold with your content strategy.
Pro tip: Track engagement rate by content type. You might discover that your carousel posts get 3x more engagement than single images, or that educational content outperforms entertainment.
2. Reach vs. Impressions
Why it matters: These are often confused, but they tell completely different stories.
Reach: How many unique people saw your content
Impressions: Total number of times your content was displayed
What to look for: If your impressions are significantly higher than reach (2-3x), it means people are viewing your content multiple times—a sign of highly engaging or valuable content.
Action step: If reach is low but engagement is high, focus on increasing your content frequency. If reach is high but engagement is low, improve your content quality or relevance.
3. Follower Growth Rate
Why it matters: Raw follower count is a vanity metric. Growth rate shows momentum and whether your strategy is working.
How to calculate it: (New Followers - Unfollows) ÷ Total Followers × 100
What to look for: Healthy growth is 2-5% monthly for established accounts. New accounts should aim for higher, 10-20% in the early months.
Warning sign: If you're gaining followers but your growth rate is slowing, it's time to refresh your content strategy or explore new content formats.
4. Click-Through Rate (CTR)
Why it matters: This metric reveals whether your call-to-action actually works and if you're driving traffic where it matters—your website, product page, or landing page.
How to calculate it: (Total Clicks ÷ Total Impressions) × 100
What to look for:
Stories: 5-7% is good
Feed posts: 1-3% is solid
Ads: 0.9-1.5% is average
Pro tip: Test different CTA placements, copy, and timing. Sometimes moving your link from the bio to a story swipe-up (or link sticker) can double your CTR.
5. Save Rate
Why it matters: Saves are the ultimate compliment. They signal that your content is so valuable, people want to reference it later. Platforms like Instagram prioritize high-save content in their algorithm.
How to calculate it: (Total Saves ÷ Total Reach) × 100
What to look for: A save rate above 2-3% indicates highly valuable content.
Content ideas that get saved:
Step-by-step tutorials
Resource lists and checklists
Templates and swipe files
Infographics with data
Product recommendations
6. Audience Retention Rate (for Video)
Why it matters: With video dominating every platform, retention rate determines whether your content gets distributed widely or buried.
What to look for:
First 3 seconds: Keep 90%+ of viewers
30-second mark: Aim for 50%+
Full video: 30-40% completion is excellent
How to improve it:
Hook viewers in the first 1-2 seconds
Cut out fluff—every second must add value
Use pattern interrupts (text, zooms, cuts) every 3-5 seconds
End with a strong CTA to keep them engaged with your next piece of content
Bringing It All Together
Here's your action plan for this week:
Audit your top 5 posts from the last month across these metrics
Identify patterns—what type of content performs best for each metric?
Create a simple tracking spreadsheet with these 6 metrics
Set realistic benchmarks based on your current performance
Test and iterate—try one new strategy per week and measure its impact
Remember: You don't need to be perfect at all metrics. Pick 2-3 that align with your current goals (growth, monetization, community building) and focus there first.
Quick Wins to Try This Week
✅ Create one "save-worthy" carousel with actionable tips
✅ Add a clear CTA to your next 3 posts and track CTR
✅ Review your last 5 videos and note where people drop off
Analytics don't have to be overwhelming. When you track what matters and adjust based on data, growth becomes predictable instead of random.
That's a wrap!
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