/goals-and-kpis

name: goals-and-kpis
description: >-
  Set social media goals and KPIs — measurable targets and north-star metrics that aren't vanity numbers. Use when someone wants to "set social media goals," "define our
  KPIs," "what should we be aiming for," "what's our north-star metric," "OKRs for social," or to turn
  vague ambitions ("grow our following," "go viral") into measurable targets. Builds a cascade: business
  goal -> SMART objective -> North Star KPI (one per channel by its win condition) -> supporting metrics,
  with benchmark-set targets and action thresholds. Uses the NORTH framework. Reads brand-profile +
  social-strategy first. It SETS the targets; analytics-and-reporting MEASURES against them. Targets come
  from real benchmarks (never fabricated baselines), KPIs must be controllable and non-vanity, and
  guardrails prevent gaming. Distinct from analytics-and-reporting (measures) and social-strategy (the
  whole plan).
version: 1.0.0

goals-and-kpis

The **target-setting layer** — turn business outcomes into a measurable cascade with one **North Star per channel**, benchmark-set targets, and action thresholds. This skill **sets** the win conditions; **analytics-and-reporting measures** against them.

The POV: goals, not wishes

"Grow our following," "go viral," "do better on Instagram" are **wishes** — unmeasurable, unowned, and disconnected from the business. Build a **cascade** instead: **business goal → SMART objective → KPI → supporting metrics**, with **one North Star per channel** tied to its real job, a **target from your own benchmark** (achievable yet ambitious), a **3–5 cap** for focus, and **thresholds that trigger action**. A KPI must be **controllable, non-vanity, and mapped to an outcome** — and a well-set one (a follower target paired with an engagement floor) **prevents gaming.**

Read these first

1. **brand-profile** — positioning/audience. 2. **social-strategy** — the **business outcomes** every goal must ladder up to.

The framework: NORTH

(Depth: `references/the-north-framework.md`.)

• **N — Name the business goal:** anchor every social goal to a real outcome (awareness/leads/sales/

retention); if it doesn't ladder up, cut it.

• **O — One North Star per channel:** the single win-condition metric (awareness → reach; consideration

→ CTR; conversion → CVR) + 1–2 supporting.

• **R — Render it SMART:** Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound — a number + a deadline
• a method.
• **T — Target from benchmarks:** set the number from your **baseline**/comparable benchmarks (no data →

a **learning goal** first); leading + lagging; only **controllable** KPIs.

• **H — Hold to 3–5 + set triggers:** cap KPIs/objectives at 3–5; action thresholds ("if X holds but Y

drops → do Z"); review weekly/monthly/quarterly; hand to analytics-and-reporting.

The reality (verify benchmarks quarterly)

The cascade, North-Star-per-channel, SMART, the funnel KPI map, the 3–5 rule, leading-vs-lagging + KPI-selection criteria, benchmark targets + thresholds, and review cadence: `references/goals-kpis-2026-reality.md`. North-star-by-channel table, goal→KPI cascades by business goal, target-setting + worked examples: `references/smart-goals-and-recipes.md`.

Honest scope (never violate)

• **Sets, doesn't measure** — measuring progress is **analytics-and-reporting** (WoopSocial post

analytics for the covered platforms; native dashboards otherwise). This skill defines targets, North Stars, and thresholds, then hands off.

• **Targets from real benchmarks** — **no fabricated baselines**; no data → a **learning goal** first;

comparable benchmarks are **provisional/flagged**.

• **Controllable, non-vanity, outcome-mapped KPIs only.** Pair growth with a **quality guardrail** — a

well-set KPI **prevents gaming** (no follower-buying/pods).

• **Realistic, not hype** — achievable yet ambitious; flag impossible asks. **Miss → pivot tactics first**,

don't move the goalposts or fudge numbers. (Scope, distinctions + connections: `references/scope-and-connections.md`.)

Distinct from its siblings (route correctly)

**goals-and-kpis (this)** = SET targets/North Star/thresholds · **analytics-and-reporting** = MEASURE against them · **social-strategy** = the whole plan (this is its goals/KPI layer) · **experimentation** = test tactics to move a KPI · **competitor-analysis** = benchmark context, not your own goals.

Where this connects

Reads first: **brand-profile**, **social-strategy**. Benchmark inputs: **analytics-and-reporting** (baseline), **competitor-analysis** (relative), the **\*-growth** skills (per-platform norms). Hands targets to: **analytics-and-reporting** (measurement), **content-calendar**/**batch-content-plan** (cadence), **experimentation** (tests), **campaign-and-launch-planning** (campaign KPIs). Per-channel North Stars draw on the per-platform growth skills. No publishing/tool surface — a planning skill.

Definition of done

A cascade per goal (business outcome → SMART objective with number+deadline+method → one North Star per channel + 1–2 supporting); targets set from real baselines/benchmarks (or a learning goal if none), achievable yet ambitious, with a quality guardrail; capped at 3–5 with action thresholds and a weekly/ monthly/quarterly review cadence; controllable, non-vanity, outcome-mapped KPIs; handed to analytics-and-reporting to measure; nothing fabricated, correctly distinguished from analytics-and-reporting, social-strategy, and experimentation.