The Pro Guide to Social Analytics: From Numbers to Next...

Analytics isn’t about staring at dashboards — it’s about knowing what to do next.

A no-nonsense guide for marketers and creators who want real leverage from analytics without pretending to be data scientists. Learn the six key signals, diagnosis maps, and how to turn insights into scheduled posts with Rkive’s chatbot + autopilot.

1) Why analytics (even if you hate dashboards)

Clarity: see what worked and why.
Momentum: repeat winners before the luck fades.
Proof: show your boss/client/sponsor what moved the needle.
Decisions: pick the next move, not the next chart.

Know how your tool thinks. Some platforms show generic “audience online” times; Rkive forecasts from your results. Some blend averages; Rkive slices by Post Type and Topic so you’re steering what actually matters.

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2) The six signals (and what to do when they move)

Signal	What it really says	Do this next
Engagement Rate	Did people do anything after seeing it?	↑ Repeat the same post type + topic in 3–7 days. ↓ Change one thing (hook or packaging or timing).
Saves	“I’ll need this later.” Long-tail value.	Low? Make the steps/payoff visible on-frame.
Shares	“I’ll cosign this to my people.”	Likes high, shares low → add on-frame utility (labels, steps, before/after).
Comments	Friction + curiosity, not just hype.	Repeated Qs → reply video and pin. Only hype → add one weekly utility post.
Reach	Distribution actually happened.	Reach ↑ + ER flat → hook/packaging problem. Reach flat → post at Peak Hours + reuse winning type.
Peak Hours	When your content lands best.	Two wins in the same slot → lock it. Three misses → switch to the next best slot.

Everything else (impressions, etc.) is supporting detail.

3) Beyond metrics: why numbers move (diagnosis, not drama)

Give yourself one probable cause and one easy test. That’s enough “science” for busy teams.

Engagement Rate ↓

Likely: weak hook · overused post type · off-hour · topic fatigue
Try: new first second · rotate one post type · post at Peak Hour · pivot to adjacent topic

Saves ↓

Likely: value buried · payoff unclear · wrong audience
Try: steps on-frame · promise on cover (“Template inside”) · narrow topic

Shares ↓ (likes ok)

Likely: good vibe, low “share value” · too niche
Try: add labels/checklists · broaden title one notch

Reach ↑ + ER flat

Likely: distribution without resonance
Try: tighter hook + visible payoff; ship Part 2 with cleaner packaging

4) A simple weekly decision map

Start with ER → ↑ repeat combo · ↓ check which metric dragged it down.
Saves → ↑ spawn a series · ↓ repackage with visible steps.
Shares → ↑ publish Part 2 in 48h · ↓ add on-frame value / widen frame.
Reach → ↑+flat ER = hook fix · ↓ use Peak Hours and best post type.
Format/Topic trends → tilt next sprint toward what's rising.

Do this loop once a week. 15–20 minutes. If it takes an hour, you’re investigating, not operating.

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5) How to read Rkive Analytics (and what to do on each screen)

Rkive’s analytics is built to be visual, causal, and actionable. Here’s the tour, with moves you can steal.

5.1 Header cards

Posts · Engagements · Engagement Rate · Reach with directional deltas. Use: quick health check. Move: if something tanks, jump to Top Posts to find the pattern, not the panic.

5.2 Top Posts

A ranked, visual feed of winners. Per-post icons show likes/comments/views/shares; account chips filter by handle.

Use: your 90-second read. Spot the repeating post type + topic + timing. Moves:

Re-ship the top type+topic within 3–7 days.
Open the native post, scan comments for repeated Qs → film a reply.

Chatbot prompts

“What do our top 5 have in common (type, topic, hook)?”
“Draft 2 follow-ups mirroring Post #1; schedule in the next best Peak Hours.”

5.3 Accounts

Per-handle trend with 7d/30d/90d windows and a Show Average toggle.

Use: pick your lane leader — the handle with momentum. Move: route the biggest ideas to the lane that’s actually growing; keep other handles warm with proven formats.

Chatbot

“Which account led impact last 30d? Route the next two high-potential drafts there.”

5.4 Formats

A clean split of Image / Carousel / Video / Text / Status with a plain-English nudge (e.g., “Image is the loudest kid…”).

Use: not a law — a tilt. Move: add 3–6 more posts in the winning format next sprint without going mono-diet.

Chatbot

“Rank formats by engagement and give me 3 angles in the top format.”

5.5 Post Types

Your custom categories (e.g., feature-drop carousel, rundown, post image, recap, infographics). Tabs for Reach / Views / Likes / Comments / Shares / Saves so you can optimize the metric that matters this sprint. Expect callouts like “post image steals the spotlight…”

Use: separate vibes from levers. Moves (choose one metric):

Need Reach → pick the top type in the Reach tab.
Need Saves → pick the top type in Saves.
Need Shares → pick the top type in Shares.

Chatbot

“Give me a 4-post plan: 2 for reach, 1 for saves, 1 for shares based on Post Types last 30d.”

5.6 Metrics Radar

Overlays Likes / Comments / Shares / Reach / Engagement% across your most active post types, with a verdict (e.g., “post image/carousel is the radar darling at 31.8%”).

Use: spot imbalances fast (tons of reach, weak shares, etc.). Move: pick 1–2 types that over-index on the metric you need to lift.

Chatbot

“What’s the metric gap on the radar and which two types fix it fastest?”

5.7 Peak Hours

Weekday tabs with an analog clock showing your best windows per account, plus a clear one-liner (e.g., “Monday 7:00 PM is the sweet spot”).

Use: treat timing as a multiplier. Moves:

Two wins in a slot → lock it as a cohort window for that post type.
Three misses in the same slot → switch to the next best.

Chatbot

“Schedule two posts in the next three winning slots for IG this week.”

5.8 Impact

A curve that rolls engagement against reach per account with a friendly callout (your “impact pit boss”).

Use: decide where the prime drops go. Move: route the heaviest hitters to the pit boss; rebuild momentum on other handles with safe formats.

5.9 Topics

AI-tagged themes (e.g., photography, lifestyle, social_media) with 7/30/90-day windows and growth badges.

Use: stop repeating noise; ride real interest. Moves:

Rising topic → add one more post in that theme this sprint.
Stalling topic → park it for two weeks.

Chatbot

“Which topic grew fastest vs last 30d, and which post types historically pair best with it for shares?”

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6) Your weekly operating rhythm (15–30 minutes)

Top Posts → note the winning type+topic (+ hook/timing).
Pick a goal metric for this sprint: reach / saves / shares.
Post Types tab → choose the top type for that metric.
Topics → add one rising theme.
Peak Hours → lock 2–3 slots.
Chatbot → “Create a 4-post plan and auto-schedule in next Peak Hours.”
Document → one page (what happened, why, what’s next).

Done.

7) Reporting people actually read

Brand / team update (1 page)

What happened: one sentence + 3 bullets
Why: 2–3 insights (type, topic, timing)
What’s next: 3 actions for the new sprint
One chart: Post Types on the metric you care about

Example “ER +28% MoM from carousel explainers on founder mistakes. Saves doubled (long-tail). Next: 3 follow-ups, Monday 7PM slot locked.”

Sponsor slide (creators)

Audience growth (new followers / reach window)
Top content (2–3 posts + why they worked)
Engagement highlight (saves or shares vs baseline)
Next month’s deliverables aligned to their brief

Keep visuals extremely simple. Bars + screenshots beat dense dashboards.

8) Common traps (skip these)

Chasing averages. Always slice by post type and topic.
Impressions worship. Reach without action is air.
Post-mortem mindset. Analytics is for steering, not eulogies.
Changing five things at once. Learn nothing that way.
Ignoring timing. Great post, wrong hour = invisible.

9) Autopilot: make insights ship content

Once your patterns are known, let the system work:

Auto-schedule: “Schedule 2 posts using the best type+topic combo at the next Peak Hours.”
Nudges: “Saves dipped on tutorials → suggest a ‘steps on-frame’ repack.”
Prioritization: “Topic X ↑ vs 30d → insert 1 extra post this sprint.”

Your job: approve drafts, tweak tone, keep the goals pointed in the right direction.

Prompts you’ll actually use

“Maximize shares next week: plan 4 posts and schedule in winning slots.”
“Repackage this low-save post with visible steps; slot Thursday’s top hour.”
“Summarize comment themes I should answer on camera.”

10) Setup & expectations (light)

Connect eligible accounts: IG Business/Creator linked to a Page; Facebook Pages; LinkedIn Company Pages for analytics.
Data appears after activity. New orgs look quiet until a few posts land.
Strategy makes analytics smart. Keep Post Types tight (5–10). Let Topics do their work.

11) Copy-paste templates

Boss/Client one-pager

Headline: “ER +18% MoM; wins from ‘founder recap’ at Mon 7PM.”
Highlights: top type+topic, format tilt, peak slots.
Next sprint: 3 bullet plan.
One chart: Post Types on your chosen metric.

Sponsor mini-slide

Growth last 30d · Top content (why it worked) · Value vs baseline · Next month plan.

12) The golden checklist

☐ Scan Top Posts → capture type+topic+hook
☐ Choose sprint goal metric
☐ From Post Types, pick winning type for that goal
☐ Add one rising Topic
☐ Lock Peak Hours
☐ Chatbot: create plan + auto-schedule
☐ Export one-page update

That’s the whole game: clarity → one move → ship. Rinse next week.

About the author

Alberto Luengo is the founder and CEO of Rkive AI, a leading expert in AI for content automation and growth. He shares real-world insights on technology, strategy, and the future of the creator economy.