Photo by Yan Krukau

You created content, posted, and waited. Finally, you’ve reached the “last step”: reporting on everything you’ve done. For someone who doesn’t have much experience in creating reports, this step can feel intimidating. But here’s the thing: creating regular reports is not optional. They are one of the most important tools a social media marketer can use. 

Reports help you see what’s working, what isn’t, and what your audience is engaging with the most. With them, you’ll be able to prove the impact of your work and its ROI to clients and leadership teams. 

What to Include in a Simple Social Media Report for Beginners

Although the specifics can vary depending on what platform you’re using, most reports should include most of these things. 

• Platform Performance:  Break down your brand’s performance by platform. Can include: Follower gain/loss, engagement, and link clicks. 

• Content Analysis: Focus on the different types of content you posted and how they performed. Include this for every platform your company is posting on. 

• Top Performing Content: Include screenshots of 2-3 posts that performed the best. Explain what made them successful. 

• Competitor Comparison: Briefly analyze competitor posts and compare. Look at what content performed well, which one didn’t, and why. 

• Insights & Next Steps: Provide takeaways from the results. Include recommendations for the next month. 

If you’re a beginner, keeping your report simple will be a lot easier for both you and your team. Remember that the goal is not to include every single metric. Focus on the key takeaways from the month or specific time frame.

Basics of an Effective Report 

Once you have all your data gathered, it is important to analyze how you want to present it. These basic guidelines will help lead you in the right direction. 

• Keep your report simple but informative: Try to stay away from too many infographics or charts. Focus on what matters most to your business goals. 

• Make the report visually appealing and easy to read: You want to make your report interesting. However, do not get too carried away with the design. 

• Present updates in a consistent format: Reports are already confusing as it is. Keep a consistent format so your audience can focus on the information. 

• Make the report memorable: Although you want to keep it simple, you also want to make your report stand out. 

• Use language your audience understands: Avoid overly technical marketing terms. Use words that are clear and simple for your audience to understand. 

Social Media Reporting Tools

Don’t want to create your reports from scratch? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Thankfully, there are many reporting tools available, whether it’s built-in analytics within platforms or third-party tools. Here are some examples: 

• Instagram & Facebook Meta Business Suite
• TikTok Analytics 
• LinkedIn Analytics 
• YouTube Studio Analytics 
• Google Analytics 
• Buffer

Each of these tools is created to help make your life easier and lessen your workload. Not sure where to start? Try practicing with the built-in analytic tools and work your way out to the third-party tools. 

Next Step 

As I mentioned earlier, reporting may seem like the “last step,” but it’s really the beginning of something more important. Once you have the final results in front of you, the real work begins. 

Use your findings to find ways to adjust your social media strategy. Your reports will help you analyze the areas that need improvement and what resonated most with your audience. 

When you look at your metrics, remember that you are not just gathering numbers for no reason. Well-structured reports with clear, specific results are proof of your success, showing stakeholders and clients the tangible impact your brand is making. How has your team tackled social media reports?

Author Bio:

Liliana Marquez is a current student at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. She is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a minor in Digital Marketing. Liliana was a 2025 intern with the National Institute for Social Media, where she had the incredible opportunity to enhance her marketing/social media skills throughout the summer.

Connect with Lili on LinkedIn!