Metrics
To effectively see how Instagram efforts are doing and make sure they're on track to hit the SMART goal of 20% increase in followers and a 5% engagement rate in 6 months, Spectrum Derbyshire CIC needs to keep an eye on these key numbers and feedback.
Follower growth:
Follower growth is a key metric that shows how many users are following an account over time. It's crucial for understanding how the organization is expanding its reach and measuring the effectiveness of its awareness campaigns. If followers are steadily increasing, it means the content is connecting with new audiences and the organization is effectively creating a digital community.
Follower growth will be monitored directly via Instagram Insights, which offers daily, weekly, and monthly updates on follower count. This data can be manually recorded in a spreadsheet to illustrate growth trends over a six-month timeframe. Additionally, third-party applications such as Later, Hootsuite, or Buffer can supply more comprehensive historical data and comparative reports.
Engagement rate:
The engagement rate is super important because it shows how well users are interacting with posts—like likes, comments, shares, and saves. A high engagement rate means the content is interesting and gets people talking. This matters a lot since Instagram's algorithm favors engaging content, making it pop up more in feeds and on the Explore page. Usually, the engagement rate is figured out as a percentage of total reach, and for small organizations, a solid benchmark is around 3–6% (Aslam, 2021).
The Engagement Rate can be determined either manually or through the use of automated tools. Instagram Insights offers data on the number of likes, comments, shares, and saves for every post. To calculate the engagement rate percentage, one must divide the total engagement by the reach of each post and then multiply the result by 100. Automation tools like Iconosquare or Metricool can facilitate this calculation too.
Tracking hashtag performance:
Keeping an eye on how hashtags perform is super important, especially for a group wanting to get noticed by specific communities. By checking out which hashtags get the most likes and views, Spectrum Derbyshire CIC can tweak its approach to connect better with folks interested in autism support, family events, or local happenings. Plus, looking at the click-through rate (CTR) from links in the Instagram bio or posts can show how well the platform is working to direct traffic to booking pages, websites, or info centres. Tools like Linktree or Bit.ly can help track these link clicks.
The effectiveness of hashtags can be assessed by examining the 'From Hashtags' segment within post insights, which indicates the number of impressions generated from hashtag searches. This analysis will aid in identifying the most impactful hashtags for enhancing visibility. For a more comprehensive evaluation, tools such as Hashtagify, RiteTag, or Flick can analyse hashtag reach and recommend high-performing alternatives that are pertinent to the community and niche.
Through the adoption of these measurement techniques, Spectrum Derbyshire CIC will obtain a comprehensive understanding of the efficacy of its Instagram strategy, facilitating prompt modifications and decisions based on data analysis.