Vanity Metrics: How to Use Them to Your Advantage

Sometimes it may seem like we’re introducing you, our fellow Montessorians, to a new, digital marketing concept every time you log in to read the Nido Marketing blog.

There may be some truth to this; we may be guilty as charged.

But it’s truly important and valuable to explain these concepts and ideas so you can gain a deeper understanding of how what you do (or don’t do) to market your school online, can make a big difference in your bottom line — your enrollment.

So, with that in mind, take a deep breath, fasten your seatbelt, and read on as we explain this week’s digital marketing concept called, “vanity metrics,” and how it directly relates to your Montessori school marketing efforts.

It’s easier than it sounds. We promise.

What are vanity metrics, exactly?

We’re going to go out on a limb here and assume you have a personal Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram account.

How many times have you clicked “like” on a post, became a follower of a business or another organization you like, or double-tapped a #catsofinstagram photo on Instagram?

Essentially, each time you do that, you’re participating in vanity metrics.

The companies you like or follow track those metrics so they can see how effective an ad campaign was, or how many people appear interested in their latest product.

HOWEVER (it’s in all caps because it’s a HUGE HOWEVER), don’t make the same mistake that many others before you have made (and continue to make) when it comes to vanity metrics.

Keep in mind that vanity metrics are not a be-all-end-all, accurate representation of how well a company is actually doing.

Let’s break it down.

Let’s say you’ve been regularly posting to Facebook since joining Nido Marketing, and you now have 1192 followers on your school’s page.

How many of those followers are parents of currently enrolled students?

How many of those followers are new and interested in scheduling a school tour?

It’s important to keep the perspective that while vanity metrics can be of value to you in determining what types of boosted Facebook posts or ads fair better than others, the numbers might not accurately correspond to how many people are taking action.

Here’s another example.

Let’s say you follow a custom t-shirt company that advertises a t-shirt displaying the words, “I am silently correcting your grammar.”

Maybe this particular boosted post got more than 10,000 “likes” but, does it also mean more than 10,000 people actually purchased the shirt? Probably not. Perhaps only 124 people purchased the humorous t-shirt.

(I might be one of them.)

So, while more than 10,000 people found the t-shirt rather amusing, only 124 of us decided we couldn’t live without it.

Clearly then, those vanity metrics are not a complete indication of how well the shirt is selling. At first glance, it appears the company sold truckloads of t-shirts, but in reality, they sold just over 10 dozen.

Vanity metrics are still quite useful.

They may be a very good indicator of brand awareness. Perhaps those other 9,876 t-shirt company followers frequently come back to that company’s Facebook page to see what other shirts they’re offering. And, perhaps they will buy a different shirt in the future.

While vanity metrics can be exciting in that it may show you an increase in page views, “likes,” and increased website traffic, you also have to consider user engagement.

In other words, how many people out of your school’s 1192 Facebook followers have actually taken action and called the school, or downloaded your tuition rates, or signed up for your free, valuable emails so they can learn more about how awesome your school is and enroll their children?

So, how do you increase engagement?

Post regularly to all your social media channels. Build brand awareness.

The more people see your school online and learn about the value of Montessori education, the more those people will engage and become enrolled students.

As we’ve mentioned before, you can provide the quality content and the useful information parents of young children are seeking online. You can make a visit to your Facebook page a valuable place to learn about education, parenting, and a host of other relevant topics.

And, you don’t have to do this alone.

Nido Marketing members (second plane and above) have access to new, pre-written social media content every month, so all you have to do is use what we provide. The content is written by a professional Montessorian, so it’s relevant and valuable to your followers, too.

Some of our recent offerings include short video clips about Montessori classes, parent perspectives, and fun projects parents can do at home with their kids.

These posts are resources your followers will enjoy reading and participating in, and without even realizing it, you’re building brand awareness in your school.

Want to learn more? Schedule a free consultation with the Nido Marketing team, today. Before you know it, you’ll be putting your vanity metrics into action.