How to set up and track social media interactions and shares in Google Analytics

Setting up and tracking social media interactions and shares in Google Analytics involves using event tracking to monitor specific actions users take when they engage with social media buttons, such as sharing content or following your social media profiles. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you set this up effectively:

Table of Contents

1. Identify Social Media Buttons and Actions

Before setting up event tracking, identify the social media buttons on your website and the specific interactions you want to track:

Social Share Buttons: Identify buttons that allow users to share content on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.
Social Follow Buttons: Identify buttons that allow users to follow your social media profiles directly from your website.

2. Implement Event Tracking Code

Add JavaScript event tracking code to each social media button on your website. Here’s a general approach:

Example for Social Share Buttons:

javascript

// Replace 'BUTTON_ID' with the ID or class of your social share button

document.getElementById('BUTTON_ID').addEventListener('click', function() {

    var socialNetwork = 'Facebook'; // Update with the social network name (e.g., Facebook, Twitter)

    var action = 'share'; // or 'follow' for follow buttons

    var label = 'Page URL'; // Replace with relevant label (e.g., page URL or content title)

// Send an event to Google Analytics ga('send', 'social', socialNetwork, action, label); });

Example for Social Follow Buttons:

javascript

// Replace 'BUTTON_ID' with the ID or class of your social follow button

document.getElementById('BUTTON_ID').addEventListener('click', function() {

    var socialNetwork = 'Twitter'; // Update with the social network name (e.g., Facebook, Twitter)

    var action = 'follow'; // or 'share' for share buttons

    var label = 'Profile URL'; // Replace with relevant label (e.g., profile URL or social network name)

// Send an event to Google Analytics ga('send', 'social', socialNetwork, action, label); });

3. Set Up Event Tracking in Google Analytics

After implementing the event tracking code, configure Google Analytics to capture these social media interactions:

Navigate to Admin: Click on the gear icon at the bottom left of your Google Analytics dashboard to access the Admin panel.
Goals: Under the View column, click on “Goals” and then the “+ New Goal” button.
Goal Setup:
- Choose “Custom” as the goal type.
- Name your goal (e.g., “Social Media Interactions”).
- Select “Event” as the goal type.
- Configure the goal details:
  - Category: Social Media
  - Action: share, follow (based on your event tracking)
  - Label: Use the social network name or other relevant information to identify the interaction
  - Value: Optional, depending on your tracking needs

4. Verify and Save

Verify your event tracking setup to ensure Google Analytics is capturing social media interactions correctly:

Use Real-Time reports in Google Analytics to test if events are being tracked in real-time after interacting with social media buttons on your website.

5. Analyze Social Media Interaction Data

Once set up, you can analyze social media interaction data in Google Analytics:

Events Overview: Navigate to “Behavior” > “Events” > “Overview” to see a summary of social media interactions.
Event Categories and Actions: Drill down into specific event categories (e.g., Social Media) and actions (e.g., share, follow) to analyze user behavior.
Secondary Dimensions: Add secondary dimensions like page URL or traffic source to gain deeper insights into where and how users interact with social media buttons.

6. Optimize Based on Insights

Use social media interaction insights to optimize your content and social media strategies:

Content Optimization: Identify popular content for sharing and optimize it further.
Social Media Campaigns: Track which social networks drive the most interactions and adjust your campaigns accordingly.
User Engagement: Improve user engagement by understanding which types of social interactions resonate most with your audience.

By following these steps, you can effectively set up and track social media interactions and shares in Google Analytics, gaining valuable insights into how users engage with your content across various social platforms.