--- title: "What is Social Media KPIs? — Social Media Glossary | Postpone" canonical_url: "https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary/social-media-kpis" last_updated: "2026-10-08T07:18:41.823Z" meta: description: "Social media KPIs are the key performance indicators that measure whether your social media efforts are meeting specific business goals." "og:description": "Social media KPIs are the key performance indicators that measure whether your social media efforts are meeting specific business goals." "og:title": "What is Social Media KPIs? — Social Media Glossary" "twitter:description": "Social media KPIs are the key performance indicators that measure whether your social media efforts are meeting specific business goals." "twitter:title": "What is Social Media KPIs? — Social Media Glossary" --- **Analytics & Metrics** # Social Media KPIs Social media KPIs are the key performance indicators that measure whether your social media efforts are meeting specific business goals. [**Reddit **post scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/reddit-post-scheduler) [** X **post scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/twitter-post-scheduler) [** Instagram **scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/instagram-post-scheduler) [** Facebook **scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/facebook-post-scheduler) [** LinkedIn **scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/linkedin-scheduler) [** TikTok **post scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/tiktok-post-scheduler) [** Threads **scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/threads-scheduler) [** Pinterest **scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/pinterest-scheduler) [** YouTube **Shorts scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/youtube-shorts-scheduler) [** Bluesky **post scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/bluesky-post-scheduler) [** Tumblr **scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/tumblr-post-scheduler) [** Mastodon **post scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/mastodon-post-scheduler) KPIs are the specific, measurable numbers you pick to evaluate whether your social media work is doing what it's supposed to do. Not every metric is a KPI — only the ones directly tied to your goals qualify. ## KPIs vs. Metrics Every KPI is a metric, but not every metric is a KPI. You might track dozens of metrics — impressions, likes, shares, saves, comments, profile visits, link clicks. Your KPIs are the three to five metrics that actually tell you if you're winning or losing. If your goal is brand awareness, your KPIs might be reach and share of voice. If your goal is lead generation, your KPIs are click-through rate and cost per lead. If your goal is community building, your KPIs are engagement rate and comment volume. Picking too many KPIs defeats the purpose. If everything is a priority, nothing is. ## Common Social Media KPIs by Goal **Awareness:** - Reach and impressions - Share of voice - Follower growth rate - Video views **Engagement:** - Engagement rate - Comments per post - Shares and saves - Average watch time **Traffic and leads:** - Click-through rate - Website traffic from social - Cost per lead - Email signups from social **Revenue:** - Conversion rate - Revenue attributed to social - Social media ROI - Customer acquisition cost from social ## Setting KPIs That Work Good KPIs share a few traits. They're specific — "increase engagement" isn't a KPI, but "achieve 4% engagement rate on Instagram by Q2" is. They're measurable with tools you actually have access to. And they're realistic based on your current performance and resources. Start with your current baseline. If your engagement rate is 1.5%, setting a KPI of 8% next quarter isn't ambitious — it's fiction. A target of 2.5% gives you something to work toward that's challenging but achievable. ## Reviewing KPIs Set a regular cadence for checking your KPIs — weekly for tactical adjustments, monthly for trend analysis, quarterly for strategic reassessment. If a KPI isn't moving despite consistent effort, either your strategy needs to change or the KPI itself was wrong. Don't hold onto KPIs that no longer align with your goals. A startup focused on growth might track follower growth rate as a KPI. Once they hit a mature audience size, that KPI should shift to engagement rate or conversion rate. Your KPIs should evolve as your business does. **Example** A SaaS company sets three KPIs: 500 free trial signups from social per month, 4% average engagement rate, and $15 cost per lead from LinkedIn ads. These KPIs tie every social media activity back to business outcomes. ## **Why It Matters** Without defined KPIs, you're posting blindly. KPIs force clarity about what success looks like and create accountability. They help you allocate budget, justify headcount, and make data-driven decisions about which platforms and content types deserve your time. See how Postpone handles this in our [**social media analytics**](https://www.postpone.app/features/analytics). ## **Related Terms** [Conversion Rate](https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary/conversion-rate) [Engagement Rate](https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary/engagement-rate) [Social Media ROI](https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary/social-media-roi) [Social Media Strategy](https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary/social-media-strategy) [Vanity Metrics](https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary/vanity-metrics) [**← Back to Social Media Glossary **](https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary)