The Truth About Social Media Metrics: What Actually Impacts Your Business

Stop chasing likes and start tracking what moves the needle.

In today’s fast-paced digital world, businesses are bombarded with numbers on social media that supposedly give your brand worth such as likes, followers, and impressions. But ask yourself this question, how many of these actually help grow your brand? If you’re partnering with a Colorado Springs marketing company or managing your own accounts, it’s essential to cut through the noise and focus on the social media metrics that drive results. A top digital marketing agency will help focus your brand and to move beyond vanity metrics and into measurable impact.

Engagement Rate: Quality Over Quantity

Engagement rate measures how actively your audience interacts with your content such as likes, comments, shares, and saves as is it relative to your follower count. According to RivalIQ’s 2025 Social Media Benchmark Report, the average engagement rate across all industries on Facebook is 0.045& and Instagram is 0.36% (RivalIQ, 2025). If you’re seeing numbers higher than that, you’re already ahead! Tracking engagement over time can help identify what types of content resonate with your specific audience.

Saves and Shares: The Invisible Gold

Saves and shares are the ultimate compliments on social media. A save says, “This is valuable, I’ll come back to it,” while a share means, “This is good enough to show someone else.” Research found that posts with high save and share rates are often favored by Instagram’s algorithm, leading to increased reach and visibility (Later, 2025). When we manage social media marketing in Colorado Springs, these are the signals we pay close attention to—because they lead to real, sustainable growth.

Click-Through Rate (CTR): Turning Attention into Action

Impressions are nice, but clicks drive results. CTR measures how often someone clicks your link after seeing a post or ad. It’s critical for driving traffic to your website or landing page. The average CTR across Facebook ads in all industries is 0.90% but can vary significantly by format, industry and objective (WordStream, 2025). Working with a digital marketing agency in Colorado means fine-tuning creative and targeting to improve these numbers so when people see your brand, they feel motivated to take action.

Conversions: Real Business Impact

Ultimately, conversions are where marketing proves its value. Whether it’s an online sale, a form submission, or a booked appointment, conversions measure real business outcomes. Some businesses using social media to nurture leads can see up to a 45% higher conversion rate than those that don’t. As a Colorado Springs advertising agency, NLA Media ensures proper conversion tracking is in place so that you can tie content back to results.

Follower Growth: Strategic, Not Random

More followers does not always mean more success. Yes, growing your followers matters—but only if they’re the right people. Focus on attracting the right audience, not just anyone! 60% of marketers say building a community is more important than growing follower count (Hootsuite, 2025). This is a mindset shift we encourage in all our social media management strategies because a smaller, active audience will always beat a massive, disengaged one.

Metrics That Drive ROI

The right metrics give you power. Tracking the right social media metrics doesn’t just make your reports look better—it helps your entire business grow smarter. Whether you’re a small local shop or scaling up fast, partnering with the right Colorado advertising agency can transform your marketing from a cost to a growth engine. At NLA Media, we specialize in social media marketing for Colorado Springs businesses who want more than likes—they want leads, growth, and measurable ROI.

Let’s turn your social media content into a working strategy!

 

References

RivalIQ. (2025). 2025 Social Media Industry Benchmark Report

Later. (2025). How the Instagram Algorithm Works in 2025 (and How to Make it Work for You)

WordStream. (2025). Facebook Ad Benchmarks for YOUR Industry [Data]

Hootsuite. (2025). Social Media Trends 2025

Posted in Social Media