Version 1
: Received: 23 September 2024 / Approved: 23 September 2024 / Online: 24 September 2024 (02:55:04 CEST)
How to cite:
Mothapo, M.; Thango (Y2-rated Researcher), B.; Matshaka, L. Tracking and Measuring Social Media Activity: Key Metrics for SME Strategic Success – A Systematic Review. Preprints2024, 2024091757. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202409.1757.v1
Mothapo, M.; Thango (Y2-rated Researcher), B.; Matshaka, L. Tracking and Measuring Social Media Activity: Key Metrics for SME Strategic Success – A Systematic Review. Preprints 2024, 2024091757. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202409.1757.v1
Mothapo, M.; Thango (Y2-rated Researcher), B.; Matshaka, L. Tracking and Measuring Social Media Activity: Key Metrics for SME Strategic Success – A Systematic Review. Preprints2024, 2024091757. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202409.1757.v1
APA Style
Mothapo, M., Thango (Y2-rated Researcher), B., & Matshaka, L. (2024). Tracking and Measuring Social Media Activity: Key Metrics for SME Strategic Success – A Systematic Review. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202409.1757.v1
Chicago/Turabian Style
Mothapo, M., Bonginkosi Thango (Y2-rated Researcher) and Lerato Matshaka. 2024 "Tracking and Measuring Social Media Activity: Key Metrics for SME Strategic Success – A Systematic Review" Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202409.1757.v1
Abstract
The adoption of social media metrics by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) has become a critical tool for engaging customers and enhancing strategic outcomes. However, many SMEs face challenges in effectively tracking and evaluating social media investments, making it difficult to assess the effectiveness of their strategies. This systematic review identifies and analyses key social media activities and performance metrics that contribute to SME strategic success. Through an extensive review of literature from Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Scopus, we selected 138 studies published between 2014 and 2024. The analysis reveals that engagement metrics (e.g., likes, shares), brand awareness (e.g., mentions), and conversion metrics (e.g., click-through rates) significantly influence organizational performance and long-term success. SMEs leveraging detailed engagement metrics reported a 25% increase in customer retention, while brand awareness metrics led to a 30% improvement in customer acquisition. The review highlights areas requiring further research, including a need for sector-specific metric analysis and a deeper understanding of emerging social media platforms. These results offer practical insights for SMEs to enhance their strategic use of social media and adapt to rapidly changing market dynamics.
Keywords
social media marketing; SMEs; Web 2.0; performance metrics; digital strategy; systematic review
Subject
Business, Economics and Management, Business and Management
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
