Tips for Creating a Killer Social Media Report for Multi-Location Businesses

For multi-location businesses, measuring the impact of social media campaigns across all branches is essential for driving overall growth, understanding what’s working and what’s not working for repeated success and figuring out what works well in local areas. A well-crafted social media report can provide insights into each location's performance, optimize strategies, and inform decision-making for the year ahead. It also allows you to reallocate your budget to underperforming locations and ensure that it is utilised efficiently. 

For multi-location businesses, compiling a social media report can be a full-time job on its own.  SocioConnect makes reporting seamless by providing clear insights on what matters most – engagement, reach, and growth across all your locations. Our reporting tools are built to save you time, so you can focus on creating campaigns that connect! With 2025 around the corner, lots of our customers are asking us for guidance when it comes to crafting reports so we thought we would share some insights with you all!

Here’s a seven-step guide to creating a high-impact social media report that helps multi-location brands see and act on what matters most.

1. Define the Goals for Locations‍

This step will depend on the size of the multi-location business the report is for. Businesses with less than 50 locations can afford to look at each location separately while businesses with hundreds or thousands of locations will need to segment these locations into groups (geographic or performance-based.)

• Identify Key Objectives: Determine what each location or group of locations aims to achieve. Is the goal to increase brand awareness, engagement with the local area, or drive foot traffic? It is wise to define these goals at the beginning of the year so that you are not outlining objectives when creating the report. 
• Tailor Metrics: Each location may have unique KPIs. While one branch may have a steady revenue stream and want to prioritize customer engagement, another may need to focus on generating local leads and in-store traffic. Include metrics that align with each branch's specific goals.

2. Segment Data by Location

• Custom Filters: Utilize purpose-built multi-location platforms such as SocioConnect to segment and filter data by location. These are invaluable for multi-location reporting.

3. Use Visual Data Presentation

• Utilize Interactive Dashboards: Tools like SocioConnect allow you to create dynamic, interactive dashboards that are easy for decision-makers to navigate. 
• Leverage Graphs and Heat Maps: Visualize location-based performance data through graphs, charts, and maps on our Business Intelligence module that make regional patterns stand out. Visuals are essential for comparing trends across branches and quickly identifying top-performing locations.

4. Compare Organic vs. Paid Performance

• Allocate Spend Based on Local Engagement: For multi-location businesses, balancing organic reach with paid promotions is crucial. Reporting on organic vs. paid performance by location shows which branches might benefit from additional paid support.
• Evaluate Ad Success by Location: Break down ad spend, reach, and engagement by each location to assess ad effectiveness. It is important to track these metrics versus the revenue of each location. This analysis can reveal where to reallocate budget for better ROI.

5. Highlight Localized Content Performance

• Spotlight Top-Performing Posts Per Location: Showing which posts perform best at each branch or region can reveal what resonates with each community.
• Analyze Content Themes and Messaging: Do certain themes, promotions, or local events lead to higher engagement in some locations? Use this data to refine content strategies for each area or perhaps encourage local managers to post more locally appropriate content.

6. Consistent Reporting

• Monthly Recaps and Quarterly Deep-Dives: Monthly reports allow for quick adjustments, while quarterly reviews give a broader perspective on trends and seasonal performance.
• Track Progress Over Time: Continuously measure each location's performance against previous periods, adjusting targets and strategies based on evolving trends and consumer feedback.

7. Showcase Key Takeaways and Recommendations

• Summarize Insights for Decision Makers: A concise summary of findings and insights makes it easy for stakeholders to grasp high-level results.
• Provide Actionable Recommendations: Tie insights back to actionable steps for each branch. If a certain type of content is thriving in one location, suggest replicating it in similar markets to amplify success.

A detailed social media report that captures the nuances of each location can be a powerful tool for multi-location businesses. Not only does it provide clarity for local marketing strategies, but it also empowers each branch with the insights needed to engage their community effectively.

If you're a Marketing Leader managing a multi-location brand or franchise and looking to streamline and optimise your local Social Media reporting for better results, book a free trial with SocioConnect: https://www.sociolocal.io/components/free-trial