π The Ultimate Guide to Analyzing Social Media Performance (2024β2025)

Donβt just post β post with purpose. Whether you’re building a personal brand or growing a business, understanding why certain posts take off while others flop is the edge you need.
In this guide, you’ll discover the best tools to analyze social media performance, what metrics truly matter in 2024β2025, and how to track your growth (even with a simple spreadsheet).
π§ Why Social Media Analytics Matter Now More Than Ever
If you’re not tracking your content performance, you’re just guessing.
Todayβs social media algorithms reward relevancy, consistency, and engagement β not volume. The right insights help you:
- Identify your top-performing content
- Discover the best times to post
- Improve engagement rates
- Understand what your audience values
- Optimize your ROI (time, content, and even money)
π Step 1: Use Free Native Analytics Tools
Every platform offers built-in analytics that can give you a solid performance snapshot. Hereβs what you should tap into:

π΅ LinkedIn Analytics
Best for thought leadership and B2B growth.
- Post impressions, engagement rates
- Follower growth trends
- Whoβs viewing your profile (great for networking)
π¦ Twitter/X Analytics
Great for tracking conversations and community.
- Tweet impressions and engagement
- Profile visits, retweets, replies
- Follower activity over time
πΈ Instagram Insights
(Must be a Business or Creator account)
- Story views, Reels performance
- Saves, shares, follower activity
- Demographic insights
π Facebook Page Insights
Still powerful for community-driven brands.
- Page reach, post performance
- Likes/unlikes, audience data
- Call-to-action button clicks
βοΈ Step 2: Use Third-Party Analytics Platforms
Ready to scale your strategy? These tools offer deeper analysis and work across multiple platforms.

β Buffer Analyze
Simple, intuitive dashboards for creators and small businesses.
π buffer.com/analyze
β Hootsuite Analytics
Enterprise-ready with team and scheduling features.
β Sprout Social
Powerful insights, audience targeting, and sentiment tracking.
β Later
Perfect for Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok.
Helps with scheduling, hashtag tracking, and visual performance.
β SocialBee
Great for content recycling, category performance, and post scheduling.
π€ Step 3: Use AI-Powered and Advanced Tools
For serious content creators, LinkedIn specialists, or teams managing large-scale growth:
β‘ Shield App (LinkedIn Creators)
Best-in-class analytics for personal branding on LinkedIn.
Tracks:
- Content format performance
- Audience engagement trends
- Follower and view growth
π shieldapp.ai
β‘ Metricool
Unifies your analytics across:
- Social media
- Website/blog
- Paid ads (Google/Facebook) Perfect for agencies or full-funnel marketers.
π Bonus: DIY Spreadsheet Tracker
Want more control? Create your own analytics dashboard using Google Sheets or Notion.
Track:
- Date and time of post
- Platform and content type
- Likes, comments, shares, saves
- Total impressions
- Engagement rate formula:
(Likes + Comments) Γ· Impressions
Review performance every 7β14 days and look for patterns.
π Key Metrics to Track (That Actually Matter)
These insights will help you stop guessing and start growing:
