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Targeted paid media campaigns

The Metrics That Actually Matter in Social Growth

By

Elena Vasquez

Feb 1, 2026

6 min

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A hand sprinkles green powder using a bamboo whisk into another hand, set against a dark fabric background, creating a dramatic visual.

Introduction

Likes and followers feel good.
They don’t pay bills.

Real social growth comes from metrics that actually reflect behavior, engagement, and outcomes.

Photo by Gabs on Lummi.ai

The vanity metric trap

Most brands track:

  • Likes

  • Follower counts

  • Views

These are easy to measure — but they don’t tell you if your strategy is working.

High numbers can hide low engagement or poor conversion.

Metrics that drive real growth

Focus on what impacts your business:

  • Watch time: Are people actually paying attention?

  • Retention: Do they watch to the end?

  • Saves & Shares: Does the content resonate enough to be shared?

  • Conversions: Are people taking the action you want?

These metrics signal quality, relevance, and value — not just popularity.

Why behavior > vanity

Vanity metrics might look impressive at first glance, but they’re just passive signals without real substance. On the other hand, behavioral metrics reveal true intent and engagement, offering deeper insights into what really drives your audience.

Understanding what your audience does instead of what they like gives a clear path to scaling content.

How Bloom uses metrics

Bloom measures everything that matters.

  • Organic content → tested for retention and engagement

  • Paid campaigns → optimized for conversions

  • UGC → evaluated for authenticity and shareability

Every decision is backed by data, not guesswork.

Final thought

Likes are for ego.
Behavior is for growth.

Track what matters, and your social strategy stops guessing — it starts performing.

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Elena Vasquez

Strategy lead, Bloom

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