1. You have to be a math whiz

A big part of analytics is seeing if numbers are going up or down and recognizing patterns. You can probably get by on 1st grade math for that.

2. It’s not for content creators

The people who create the content actually have the most to gain from seeing the results. When you’re armed with data, you can better justify to the bean counters exactly why your campaign idea is genius.

3. Analytics replace the need to “trust your gut”

You first need something to test, and that often comes from what your gut tells you. Then you can analyze and see if your gut is right or you need to modify. Trust, but verify.

4. You need expensive tools

Sure, it’s nice to have fancy analytics tools with lots of bells and whistles. But you can get started with free tools provided by most platforms like Facebook Insights and Twitter analytics.

5. It’s all about engagement

Engagement is a big buzzword in social media, but it’s not an end-all-be-all. Think about when people get engaged to be married. It’s a huge step, to be sure. But it’s only preparation for something much more important and lasting.

6. You must know everything about analytics

Too much knowledge can be a curse when it comes to analytics. You need the rightknowledge to avoid analysis paralysis. You need a system to organize what’s relevant.

7. I don’t know where to start

Not sure if this counts as a myth, but it’s a common complaint. Now you can follow my Twitter list of social media analytics tools and resources.

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