Marketers are known for their expansive list of acronyms and dropping trendy buzzwords (think ROI, PPC, KPI, growth hacker, thought leader - feel free to add yours to the list!). In the world of Facebook metrics, "People Talking About This" or PTAT is a measure that is very dear to a marketer's heart - and with good reason.
What is PTAT?
Over a 7 day period, whenever a page visitor does one of the below things, a story is created about your page and your PTAT is increased. These stories can be any of the following:
- like a page
- post on the page wall
- like a post
- comment on a post
- share a post
- answer a question
- RSVP to a page's event
- mention the page in a post
- tag the page in a photo
- check in at a place
- share a check-in deal
- like a check-in deal
- write a recommendation
- claim an offer
Because the metric tracks unique stories over a 7 day period, it is important to engage fans consistently to keep your number up. For example, if a fan likes your page and leaves a comment on the same day, it will only add one point to your PTAT - but another point is added if that fan comes back and creates a new story after 7 days - so being consistent is key.
The number itself is very public - anyone visiting your page can see the PTAT on the left side of the page under the number of likes. Important to remember, that while likes are reported in real-time, PTAT is usually a couple of days behind, so don't freak out if the numbers look a little confusing!
Where do I start?
Start by looking at your PTAT number and those of your competitors online. If yours is lower, take a look at what the competition is doing differently and use that knowledge to generate some creative campaigns! (see Turtle Wax's recent Wax On Shirt Off campaign for a great example!). If you are consistent and look to your PTAT numbers regularly, you will see results.