Leverage powerful social media analytics to prove ROI

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How to calculate earned media value
As previously mentioned, calculating earned media value does not student data look the same for everyone. A common approach we can easily recommend, however, is as follows:

Determining your average cost-per-engagement (CPE) for paid social media. This provides a baseline for valuing organic engagement.
Assigning weights to different types of engagement. For example, a share might be weighted more heavily than a like.
Multiplying the number of engagements by their respective weights and your CPE.
Let’s give you an example. We’ve decided that our average CPE is $0.50.

You receive 100 likes, 50 comments and 20 shares on a post.

You assign weights of 1 to likes, 2 to comments and 3 to shares.


Important Note: This is a simplified example. More complex calculations might factor in reach, content type and other variables.

To sum up, earned media value is a useful metric for benchmarking, identifying trends and reporting to stakeholders. However, it isn’t the be-all and end-all of social media measurement. To truly maximize your social media strategy, it’s essential to integrate EMV with other metrics that provide a more complete picture of your efforts. By understanding the nuances of EMV calculations and leveraging tools like Sprout Social’s reporting tool, you can ensure that your social media strategy is data-driven and aligned with your business goals.


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