Ah, likes… Those little red hearts that make us feel like superstars with every post. Did your last post get 500 likes? Congratulations! But let’s be honest for a second: how many of those 500 people took out their credit cards? Probably none. And therein lies the rub.

Welcome to the wonderful (and sometimes cruel) world of performance measurement on social networks. A world where many companies confuse popularity with profitability. Spoiler alert: they’re not the same thing. But don’t panic, we’ll sort it all out together.

🎯 Key points to remember

• Likes are vanity metrics: they flatter the ego but don’t pay the bills.
• Focus on real engagement: relevant comments, shares, clicks on your links.
• Measure what counts: referral traffic, conversion rate, lead generation and ROAS.
• Adopt a simple process: Objectives → Indicators → Analysis → Adjustment.
• Advanced metrics like Share of Voice and Brand Sentiment give you a complete strategic vision.

The “Vanity Metrics” trap: when numbers lie

Let’s start with a hard-hitting truth: likes are the easiest interaction to get on social networks. A double-tap on Instagram literally takes 0.2 seconds. It requires no effort, no thought, no real commitment.

In fact, one study showed that only 4% of people who saw a Facebook “like” used an associated voucher. Worse still, the control group (who hadn’t seen the like) had a rate of 5%. In other words, likes don’t even influence the purchasing behavior of your subscribers.

Why are we still clinging to likes?

It’s simple: they’re visible, instantaneous and rewarding. When your boss asks, “So, how’s our social networking going?”, it’s so much easier to answer, “We got 2,000 likes this month!” than to explain complex metrics.

But here’s the problem: likes don’t turn into euros. The majority of people who actually buy your products often never liked your publications. They’ve clicked, visited your site, compared, considered… then bought. The like? Where was it in all this? Nowhere.

What to measure (and why)

Now that we’ve busted the like myth, let’s talk about the metrics that really count. The ones that have a direct link to your sales.

1. The actual engagement rate

Forget the raw number of likes. What counts is the ratio between meaningful interactions and your audience. Relevant comments, shares, saves… These actions require effort and indicate a real connection with your content.

Simple formula: (Comments + Shares + Saves) / Number of subscribers × 100

2. Reach and impressions

How many people actually see your publications? This is different from the number of subscribers (spoiler: organic reach is often less than 10% of your followers).

If you’re selling a €100 product and every 100 impressions generates a sale, each impression is worth €1. Suddenly, this metric becomes very concrete, doesn’t it?

3. Referral traffic

It’s THE bridge between your social networks and your business. How many visitors arrive on your site from Instagram, LinkedIn or Facebook? And above all: what do they do once they’ve arrived?

Google Analytics is your best friend here. Take a look:

• Number of sessions from social networks
• Time spent on site
• Bounce rate
• Conversions (registrations, purchases, quote requests)

4. Lead generation

A lead is someone who has raised their hand to say “hey, I’m interested”. It can be :

• A subscription to your newsletter
• A download of your white paper
• Contact us
• Add to basket

If one click in ten leads to a sale of €100, then each click is worth €10. Here’s a metric that speaks to your accountant.

Advanced metrics: for those who want to go further

La Part de Voix (Share of Voice)

Imagine that your industry is one big conversation. Share of Voice measures how much of that conversation belongs to you versus your competitors.

If your industry is mentioned 100 times on the networks, and 30 mentions concern your brand, your Share of Voice is 30%. This is an excellent indicator of brand awareness and market positioning.

Brand Sentiment

Being mentioned is good. Being mentioned positively is better. Brand sentiment analyzes the tone of conversations around your company:

• Positive 😊
• Neutral 😐
• Negative 😠

Tools like Brandwatch, Mention or Hootsuite Insights can help you monitor this in real time.

ROAS (Return On Ad Spend)

When it comes to paid advertising campaigns, ROAS is king. It’s simple:

ROAS = Advertising revenue / Advertising cost

A ROAS of 4 means that for every euro spent on advertising, you get 4 back. Below 1, you lose money. Above 3, you can start smiling.

The 4-step process for effective measurement

Enough theory, let’s get down to business. Here’s a simple framework you can apply tomorrow:

Step 1: Define clear objectives

“Increasing our network presence” is NOT a goal. It’s wishful thinking.

A good lens looks like this:

• Generate 50 qualified leads per month via LinkedIn
• Increase referral traffic by 30% in 3 months
• Achieve a ROAS of 4 on our Instagram campaigns

Step 2: Choose the right indicators

Each objective has its own KPIs. Don’t measure everything, measure what counts for YOUR goal.

Step 3: Regular analysis

Not once a year. Not when you’re thinking about it. Every week or every month, take the time to look at your figures. Identify the trends, the content that’s performing, the content that’s flopping.

Step 4: Adjust strategy

Data without action is useless. If your Reels work better than your carousels, make more Reels. If LinkedIn generates more leads than Facebook, reallocate your budget. Be agile.

How DS Overseas can help

At DS Overseas, we don’t just count likes. Our team transforms data into winning strategic decisions.

Whether for :

• Community management with meaningful KPIs
• Advertising campaign management with a focus on ROAS
• Development of a comprehensive digital strategy based on business metrics

We’ll help you turn your social networks into real growth drivers, not just a showcase for likes.

👉 Find out more about our services on our communications agency page, or take a look at our references to see how we’ve helped other companies out of the vanity metrics trap.

In a nutshell

Likes are good for the ego. But if you want your social networks to make a real contribution to your business, it’s time to change your glasses. Focus on real engagement, referral traffic, lead generation and ROAS.

Adopt a clear process: objectives → indicators → analysis → adjustment. And above all, remember: the real indicator of success is your ability to convert engagement into measurable results.

Your likes aren’t filling your bank account? Not surprising. But with the right metrics, your social networks can finally do just that. 💰