How do you know something is working if you aren’t measuring it? You don’t.
Seriously. You could go through the entire lifecycle of your offer funnel and think the content you’re creating to bring in leads is working. That is, until all is said and done, and you’re still wondering why you aren’t selling.
That’s why you need to stop along the way and measure the effectiveness of your content. Otherwise, you have no true way of gauging success, which leaves you to make assumptions (you know what people say about assuming!)
So yeah, it’s pretty crucial that you’re tracking how your content is (or isn’t) performing.
But what metrics should you be looking at? And how do you interpret the data you see? Keep scrolling — we’re going to fill you in!
There are two ways to measure the effectiveness of your content
Different platforms call for different measurements. If you’re not sure what to look at to measure the effectiveness of your content, the good news is that there are really only two ways to do it.
Quantitative data
Quantitative data is something specific you can measure. This data is tracked by numbers. There’s no gray area, ifs, ands, or buts. This data literally just is what it is.
- For social media: It’s all about measuring engagement. Are people liking, sharing, saving, or commenting on your posts, be it a story, Reel, or feed post? Do you have a high rate of engagement? This isn’t a vibe check if people are engaging. It’s looking at the actual numbers.
- For email: It’s all about the open and click-through rates. Are people opening up your emails? Are they clicking through to your sales or landing pages?
- For your blogs: Are you getting traffic to the post? Is there a high bounce rate? How long are people spending on the page? Low numbers are telling.
Qualitative Data
Qualitative data isn’t necessarily something you can measure. It’s more about the type of comments, messages, and overall feedback you get from your audience. It’s basically a vibe check.
Are people continuously hyping your offer up? Good — there’s a strong chance it’s doing well! Hearing radio silence? Or feel like you’re getting the same questions and objections over and over? It could mean that it’s time to revisit your offer and decide if it’s truly helping your audience.
*Side note: No, silence doesn’t always mean a lack of interest. Some audiences may not be very active on social, email, etc. But that’s exactly why we say look at the numbers!
So…what do you do with this information?
You can’t solely use quantitative data. And you can’t solely use qualitative data, either. You need BOTH.
Yes, they can both tell you a lot about the effectiveness of your content on their own, but you won’t get the full picture until you look at them together.
Not sure how to interpret what you see? Here are a few common situations folks run into.
Great quantitative data, mediocre qualitative data
Maybe you have high numbers for your emails (open rates, clicks, etc.), but your engagement on social is low.
Usually, when one platform is outperforming the other (when we’re talking about bringing in leads), it means you’re either:
- Not creating the type of content the platform needs
- Aren’t in tune with how your audience is consuming information
Doing well in one place does show there’s interest. But you probably need to spend some more time digging into the content you’re producing — whatever the platform — and see if you’re utilizing it in a way that works for the platform and your audience.
Not everyone is a TikTok girlie, and that’s okay! Not everyone is meant to be on Instagram. Just show up with valuable content, designed in a way that’s intended for the platform, in places your people want to be.
Mediocre quantitative data, great qualitative data
Something about your content is great. Something about the way you’re presenting your offer is not.
If people are engaging with your content but never following through with the actions you want them to take at the end of the line (like making a purchase), it could be a sign that you need to adjust the way you talk about said offer.
You can have eye-catching social media graphics, witty copy, all the bells and whistles — which are enough to drive engagement — but maybe WHERE you’re directing them isn’t clearly outlining what you want them to do.
Spend some time assessing those sales and landing pages through the lens of your audience. Would you know what to do next? And more importantly, would you want to do it?
Low quantitative data, low qualitative data
We’d call this one a red flag. An SOS. A mayday, if you will.
No, in all seriousness, the situation isn’t THAT dire. But low stats on both fronts do mean something’s up with your offer — not just the content you use to direct people to it.
We suggest taking time to really sit down and think about whether or not folks want your offer as you have it structured. You can have an objectively good offer, but timing and shifting needs in your industry (and okay, yes — the economy, too) can all impact whether or not that offer is good for your audience right now.
And if you find that it’s time to switch things up, our best advice to you is this: don’t be afraid of change. Would Elle Woods have been a total baddie if she never decided to change course and apply for law school? We think not!
Great quantitative data, great qualitative data
Congrats! Keep on trucking along. You’re doing great! Keep focusing on doing what you do and doing it well. Then go have a cold one (alcoholic or not) to celebrate!
Is your content effective?
Ultimately, you can measure the effectiveness of your content by noticing if people are taking the intended action. It doesn’t have to be a hit every single time, and mistakes or misreadings are inevitable, but pay attention to the overall trend.
What tale are those pieces of qualitative and quantitative data weaving together for you?
Still need some help figuring it out?
As your brand’s ride-or-die content team, you know we won’t leave you high and dry. So schedule a strategy intensive with us here and let’s hash it out!
