How to measure lurkers in your social media analytics: Understanding what metrics to chose to monitor

In the world of social media engagement, content consumption, and brand visibility, there's a silent majority that often goes unnoticed, or often get complained about! They are the audience who prefer to stay in the shadows, never hitting the like button or leaving comments. They are the social media lurkers.

I don’t always comment on posts I like on social media.

I don’t always hit the like button either.

The truth is, sometimes I just like to scroll and consume without having to lift a finger! I’m pretty sure, if you are representing your brand online, you too might have times when you don’t want to engage.

But I’m there, reading the captions, looking at the images and videos, allowing the brand into my world, and in turn, putting the brand on my radar.

Of course, sometimes I do engage. I hit the sticker buttons in stories and leave thoughtful comments when I want to chat with the business owner; it's just not always the case. And I'm not alone in this behaviour. There are countless others in your audience who never engage too. They never chat with you or want to be noticed. They definitely aren't up for using your stickers in stories or voting in your poll, no matter how easy you make it for them. However, they are there, quietly consuming all that you do, and letting your brand become familiar to them.

The Importance of Online Brand Recognition

That visibility can only come from continued content, and continued engagement on your part. You have to keep creating the content, even if it isn't giving you the numbers that you'd love! It's essential to understand that while not every follower interacts actively, their passive engagement is equally valuable.

Measuring the Influence of Lurkers

You might be thinking you can't measure a lurker, and yes, it is far harder to see them and build a relationship. However, you can measure them!

They may not be included in your stats if you only focus on likes, saves, and comments. However,

REACH will count the individuals who have seen your content, and

IMPRESSIONS will tell you how many times that content has been seen.

That's why, with clients, reach and impressions will always be measured, even if we have other elements we want to measure.

So if your posts aren't performing as well as you'd like, it's crucial to check whether you are looking at the right metrics that help you see the lurking, yet highly influential, part of your audience. You can’t just look at the likes and comments as a measurement.

Strategies for Increasing Social Media Reach: Building Strong Online Relationships

Understanding the presence of lurkers is a critical step in building relationships online. While direct engagement is fantastic and should always be encouraged, (who doesn’t feel the little flurry when you have a post do exceptionally well on likes?!) it's equally essential to recognise the value of those who prefer to observe quietly. They are your audience, too, and their steady presence can translate into brand loyalty and recognition over time. And also important to remember, they are no less likely to invest, if they naturally don’t engage with any other brand online either.

Crafting Content to Encourage Engagement

To cater to this diverse audience, it's crucial to create content that appeals to both active engagers and the quieter observers. A mix of engaging posts, thought-provoking stories, CTAs of action steps that can be implemented, and visually captivating content can keep everyone interested.

Effective Social Media Marketing Strategies

Your social media marketing strategy should take into account not only those who actively engage but also those who silently consume your content. Measuring reach and impressions can provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of your online presence and help you tailor your strategy to improve audience engagement.

By recognising the power of social media lurkers and crafting content that resonates with them, you can expand your brand's reach and strengthen its online presence. So, don't be discouraged by the lack of immediate interaction; remember that your silent majority is watching, and their influence should not be underestimated.