Stop Drowning in Data | Tracking & Analytics

I get tons of numbers thrown at me every day. Clicks, impressions, conversions, follows, engagement rates, it's a lot to keep up with, especially when you're just one person with SO many platforms and campaigns to report on. How can we keep data and reporting organized and communicated across teams efficiently and effectively?

✨ Excel ✨

Before you roll your eyes, hear me out.

I stand by my Excel sheets, but it took a LOT of trial and error to find a process that is easily understandable by everyone who needs to see it.

You don’t need to track everything. Seriously. Half the metrics people flaunt are just fluff. Focus on the data that actually shows progress and where you can improve.

First let's understand basic reporting terminology.

If you're reporting on metrics but have no clue what they really mean, this is for you.

Followers: Total people following your account. Yay, but vanity alert — it means nothing without engagement.
Engagements (Likes/Comments/Shares): People actually interacting with your content. This is the good stuff.
Engagement Rate: Total engagements ÷ total impressions. Measures how much your audience cares.
Clicks: The number of times someone clicked on a link you shared.
Conversions: When a click turns into a goal action — like a sale, sign-up, or download.
Impressions/Views: Total number of times your content was seen. Doesn’t mean they paid attention, just saw it.
Click-Through Rate (CTR): Clicks ÷ Impressions. Tells you if people are actually clicking on your content.
Impression Share: How often your ads show compared to your competitors in the same space.
Traffic: Number of people visiting your website. Simple, but crucial.

Step 1: Make a List of Every Platform You're On

Time to get real about where you're showing up. List every platform you’re active on. Yep, all of them. Even the ones collecting dust.

Facebook
Instagram
TikTok
LinkedIn
YouTube
Pinterest
Reddit
X (Twitter)
Snapchat

Step 2: List All Paid Marketing Efforts

If you’re running ads or throwing cash into campaigns, track that too.

Paid Social Ads (FB, IG, LinkedIn Ads)
Display or Banner Ads
YouTube Ads
Billboards
Radio Ads
Streaming TV Ads
Google Ads

Step 3: Don’t Forget Additional Analytics Sources

You're doing more than just social and ads, right? (If not, let’s talk strategy later 👀.)

Website Analytics (Google Analytics)
Email Marketing (Mailchimp, Constant Contact)
eNewsletters
Physical Campaigns (like direct mail with QR codes)

Congrats, You Now Have a Massive List.

Now you have a long ass list of all the shit you do. Overwhelmed yet? Don't worry, it get's easier.

Step 4: Break Down What Metrics Actually Matter for Each Channel.

Not all metrics matter for every platform. The importance of these might differ from business to business. Here’s where to begin your focus:

Social Media:

Followers (meh, but still worth tracking)
Link Clicks (encourage your users to take action)
Engagement Rate (ideal for organic performance)

Paid Ads:

Ad Spend
Impressions
Clicks
Conversions

Website Analytics:

Total Traffic
Top Pages
Form Fills (or lead gen actions)
Average Time on Site
Bounce Rate (aka how fast they leave)

Step 5: Setting Up the Excel Sheet (The Fun Part 🎉)

Column A: List your platforms. (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, Website)
Column B: The metrics you’re tracking for each platform.
Columns C through N: Label each month across the top (Jan – Dec).

Example Layout:

Platform	Metric	January	February	March	April
Facebook	Followers	1,200	1,250	1,300	1,350
Facebook	Link Clicks	340	380	420	450
Website	Traffic	12k	15k	18k	20k

Step 6: Set a Reporting Cadence

Consistency is everything. Set a recurring schedule for when you’ll report — monthly works best for most. Track data from the previous month so you’re always reflecting on complete data sets.

Step 7: Organize for Long-Term Wins

One Master File: Keep everything in a single Excel workbook with multiple tabs (one for each year).
Color Code: Green for wins, red for losses. Some people compare against benchmarks, I like to show month-over-month fluctuations.
Automate Where Possible: Use Google Sheets formulas to auto-calculate engagement rates, CTR, and growth percentages.

Why This System Works (And Saves Your Sanity)

All Data in One Place: No more digging through 10 platforms.
Historical Comparison: See trends year over year.
NoGuesswork: Clear, actionable metrics only.
Makes You Look Like a Pro: Especially when boss asks, "How are we performing on conversions vs. last quarter?"

The goal here? Clarity, not clutter. Ditch vanity metrics. Focus on what actually matters for growth. Data is your friend when it tells a story you can act on.

Grace's Place Passion Project