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How to Tell If Social Media Is Bringing You Customers

By Sam · Last updated 11 October 2026 · 6 minute read

Contents

• Likes are not customers
• Five ways to measure it
• A simple monthly table
• What the numbers can and cannot tell you
• Decide: keep, change or stop
• Next steps
• Frequently asked questions
• Sources

Likes are not customers

UK buying guides say a good social media supplier is measured by revenue and qualified leads, not by likes or follower counts, and list reports that mention engagement but never a business outcome as a red flag. The same test applies if you run it yourself: what did it produce that you can count?

Five ways to measure it

1. Tag your links. Add campaign tags (UTM parameters) to links in your bio and posts so Google Analytics 4 shows visits from each platform. Google Analytics 4 shows the traffic source of visits, and key events show which visits led to an enquiry.
2. Count the enquiries you can see. Keep a simple log of direct messages, comments and calls that mention a post or a platform.
3. Ask every new customer. Add how did you hear about us to your enquiry form, and ask on the phone.
4. Track the actions on the website. Set up key events for form submissions and taps on your phone number. See nine checks when a website gets no enquiries.
5. Compare with cost. Note the time you spend and any money paid to a supplier or for advertising each month.

A simple monthly table

Keep one row per platform each month.

What the numbers can and cannot tell you

• Many customers see a post and then search your name later, so social enquiries can be undercounted. Asking customers how they found you catches some of this.
• Social media may help people trust you even when no one clicks.
• A few months of data is needed before judging. Seasonality can also move the numbers.

Decide: keep, change or stop

• Keep a platform that produces enquiries for a cost you accept.
• Change the content or the rhythm if there are visits and no enquiries.
• Stop a platform that produces neither after a fair test, and put the time where it works.

Next steps

If you are choosing where to be, read which social media platform your business should use. If you pay for management, check the reports against what social media management costs in the UK and the red flags listed there.

Frequently asked questions

How do I track enquiries from social media?

Use tagged links so Google Analytics shows visits from each platform, record messages and calls that mention a post, and ask new customers how they found you.

Do likes and followers matter?

Only if they lead to enquiries. UK guides advise judging by revenue and qualified leads, not by likes or follower counts.

How long should I wait before judging?

A few months, with enough posts to learn from. Seasonality can distort a single month.

What if I get messages but no sales?

Then the enquiries need better handling, such as a faster reply or clearer prices. Treat messages as leads and track them like calls.

Should I pay for social advertising?

Only once you know which organic content produces enquiries. Paid social management is usually charged separately.

Sources

• ProfileTree, Choosing a social media agency: a UK buyer’s guide, checked 11 October 2026.
• Brainiac Media, UK social media marketing agency costs and red flags, checked 11 October 2026.
• Whito, UK social media management costs 2026, checked 11 October 2026.
• Beancount, Setting up Google Analytics 4 conversions: a small business guide, checked 11 October 2026.

Sam, Editor at Clariti Digital.

Related guides

• Social media management cost UK: What social media management costs in the UK.
• Which platform for your business: How to choose the right social platforms for your customers.
• Website not getting enquiries: Nine checks when visitors arrive but do not get in touch.