So your Klout is 57. You have 1200 Twitter followers. 130 people like your Facebook page. 87 people subscribe to your blog. You have 98 connections on Linkedin and 400 people in Circles on Google+. Now what?

Unfortunately, it’s easy to get lost in the numbers when it comes to Social Media. There are systems that are dedicated to measuring influence in the online world, but sometimes those numbers don’t tell the full story.

Feeling stressed about the numbers? You aren’t alone. People are wondering how their vacation will affect their Klout scores, or how to increase their Twitter followers. Social Media Strategies are put in place and ultimately everyone want to know how to get those numbers up.

The numbers can be useful. Analysis and measurement can tell real stories and help guide future decisions. Your numbers can be used to obtain new clients or advertisers. Larger numbers can mean more impressions for your business or writing. I would be remiss to completely dismiss these numbers.
But numbers aren’t everything and shouldn’t dictate what you do online. If you target your social media profiles to be only avenues to increase your numbers, you are completely missing the point of social media.

How do you recognize the numbers and avoid the stress?

Remember that they will fluctuate. Sometimes life gets in the way of being online and that’s ok. These numbers will go up and down but as long as you keep a fairly consistent presence (and message), it shouldn’t be a concern.

Be proud of your numbers, no matter how big or small. Some of the best blogs I read don’t have a lot of twitter followers, but that doesn’t make them any less influential in certain social media circles.

When setting out your social media goals, instead of looking at increasing your numbers by a specific amount, try focusing on how you will be increasing them. Then, you can measure success not only by what the numbers are telling you but by what worked to get there.

Find ways to track your numbers without going crazy. Do you want to see them weekly and compare? Monthly? If you check them every day it will become an obsession and not a productive one.

No matter what, the quality of your content, posts, discussions and level of engagement will ultimately be what impacts your numbers. So have fun with it and try to enjoy social media for what it is - a way to learn, share and engage.

Rebecca blogs about family and motherhood, is a self-professed foodie, and dabbles in online engagement and community giving. She has a strange love for maple syrup that can possibly only be matched by her love for chocolate and coffee.

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