Impressions are at an all-time high, yet inquiries have dropped to one-third: A story about a certain company
The other day, I received a message from a staff member at a company I used to work with.
"Lately, the response on Instagram hasn't been very good... Kiyono-san, how do you see this situation?"
When I visited the account for the first time in a while after being told that, I saw images created using AI posted there.
The colors were well-coordinated, and the photos were beautiful.
But to be honest,
"The posts are harmless but don't really feel appealing..."
"The visibility isn't great either..."
that was my impression.
Behind the record-high numbers
As I listened to the rough numbers over the phone, it started to make sense.
The number of impressions (display count) is at an all-time high. It's an increase of about 180% compared to the annual average from the previous year.
Looking at this alone, it seems like things are going well.
(However, I suspected there was a high possibility that ad impressions were included.)
But the number of profile visits had dropped to about one-third compared to the annual average from when I was managing it.
The number of saves and likes had also dropped to about one-third.
The home rate had declined similarly.
Even though the number of people seeing the posts is the highest it has ever been,the rate at which those viewers take the next step (viewing the profile or saving the post) has clearly dropped.
It wasn't a 'shift toward awareness'
Looking only at the numbers,
one might want to think, "Maybe they shifted to an operation focused on awareness?"
But when I looked at the actual posts, I realized that wasn't the case.
I couldn't feel any intent or strategy in the content of the posts.
The themes and angles were all settled in a somewhat safe place, and I couldn't see "who they wanted to reach and what they wanted to convey" with these posts.
It felt like a new employee was doing their best to post using AI...
That's how it felt to me.
I have seen the content of over 700 individual business owners and managers, and the cause is usually the same in these cases.
The person in charge has lost sight of the purpose..."Posting" itself has become the goal.That is what is happening.
If you use AI, anyone can create beautiful images and well-structured text.
Butit is people, not AI, who decide "what the goal of this post is."If you continue to post while that part remains blank, the content will end up being empty despite looking polished.
The reason you can't feel at ease even if the numbers are growing
In SNS management, there is a tendency to chase only "visible numbers" like impressions and follower counts.
In reality, the numbers that follow, such as"Did they visit my profile?" "Did they save it?" "Did it lead to an inquiry?" are much more important for the business.
I also feel that it has become easier to fall into this trap now that we can maintain the volume of posts while also polishing the appearance with AI.
The peace of mind that comes from "being able to post" can, conversely,rob you of the opportunity to think about "what the post is for."that can happen.
In other words, what you should check before whether the numbers are growing is,
whether you can say in one sentence every time you post, "What action did I want the viewer to take when I created this?"If you keep increasing the number of posts without being able to say that, even if the number of people reached increases, the number of people who take action will not.
(Note: People who take action = people who like/save, visit the profile to follow, or click a link button.)
Things to ask yourself before posting
If you feel like "I keep posting, but the response seems to be dropping," ask yourself these three questions before creating your next post.
1. What do you want the person who sees this post to do?
Do you want them to look at your profile, save the post, or empathize with it? Confirm that you have narrowed it down to one goal.
2. Where is that goal reflected in the post?
The opening line, the final sentence, or the text within the image. Review whether you have actually included measures to achieve your goal.
3. Compare metrics other than impressions for the last three months.
Check whether profile visits, saves, and inquiries are increasing or decreasing relative to the number of posts and views.
If you cannot answer all three immediately, it is not a sign that you should stop posting, but rather a sign that you have stopped before putting into words "why you are posting."a sign that you have stopped before putting into words "why you are posting."is.
I don't know if it was valued. Even so,
At the time, I was designing content for each medium at this company with the philosophy of prioritizing "what the customer wants to know on that medium" over "what the company wants to convey."
By being shown the objective fact of the "numbers" this time, I was able to understand that "at least when I was directing, the operation was providing value."
Regardless of whether it was valued by someone else, I was able to confirm with my own eyes the meaning of what I had been doing.
I am glad that they consulted me this time, if only for that reason.
Since it is a company I have a connection with, I would be happiest if they could also inherit the operational intent and purpose, but...
AI reduces the effort of creating posts.
However, I feel that giving meaning to those posts will continue to be a human role.
Deciding "what to aim for with a post" is a job for humans, not AI.
I want you to remember that.