How to Analyze What Social Content Drives Sales on Shopify

Social media is a powerful tool for Shopify sellers, but how do you know which posts drive sales? Analyzing social content performance helps you focus on what works, saving time and boosting revenue. At Brevue, we’re building a growth assistant (powered by AI, of course) for Shopify sellers, offering simple insights to make growing your store easier.

🔍 Quick Answer

To analyze what social content drives sales on Shopify, you need to:

• Track content performance using UTM links and Shopify analytics
• Measure key metrics like clicks, conversions, and revenue per post
• Use tools like Meta Pixel, TikTok Pixel, or Google Analytics 4
• Map high-performing posts to product sales to double down on what works

Understanding what content converts helps you stop guessing and start growing.

Why You Should Analyze Social Content

You might be posting regularly on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook. You may even get lots of likes.

But here’s the real question:
Are your posts actually generating sales?

Likes and engagement are nice, but if they are not moving the needle for your Shopify store, they are just vanity metrics.

Analyzing your social content helps you:

• Identify which types of posts drive real results
• Optimize your time and effort
• Improve return on ad spend (ROAS)
• Create more of what your audience buys from

Step-by-Step: How to Track What Drives Sales

1. Start with UTM Links

The Urchin Tracking Module (UTM) refers to specific pieces of code added to normal URLs to track the performance or effectiveness of online marketing campaigns.

Use UTM parameters to track where your traffic comes from.

Instead of using a plain product link, use a UTM-coded link like:

https://yourstore.com/products/blue-hat?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=summer_sale

This allows Google Analytics or Shopify Analytics to tell you exactly which post drove which clicks and purchases.

Use free tools like Google’s Campaign URL Builder to generate UTMs.

2. Use Shopify’s Built-In Analytics

Shopify shows traffic sources and conversion rates inside your dashboard.

To find this:

• Go to Analytics > Reports
• Look under “Sessions by referrer” or “Sales by traffic source”
• Combine with your UTM links to identify top-performing posts

Pro tip: If your post used a unique discount code, you can also track revenue from that code.

3. Install Pixels for Deeper Tracking

Platforms like Facebook and TikTok offer ad and post-level conversion data when you install their tracking pixels.

• Meta Pixel (Facebook & Instagram) → Track views, adds to cart, purchases
• TikTok Pixel → Helps track conversions from TikTok posts and Spark Ads
• Google Analytics 4 (GA4) → Offers broader sitewide behavior insights

These tools help you attribute a sale to the actual content that influenced the decision.

4. Check Engagement Quality, Not Just Volume

High likes do not always mean high conversions.

Focus on:

• Saves and shares (signals deeper interest)
• Link clicks
• Comment sentiment (are they asking where to buy?)

Look for posts that spark intent or urgency, not just attention.

5. Map Posts to Product Sales

If you sell 5 units of a product right after posting a demo video of it, that’s a signal.

Create a simple spreadsheet with the header:

Use this to spot patterns like:

• Reels > Static posts
• Influencer mentions > Brand posts
• Educational content > Promotional

6. Run A/B Tests on Post Types

Try posting the same product in different formats:

• Lifestyle image vs product close-up
• Before/after vs testimonial
• Text overlay vs plain

Track which version leads to more clicks and conversions. Keep iterating.

Tools That Help You Analyze

Final Tips

• Always use unique links for each campaign or post
• Compare performance across product categories and platforms
• Focus on content that leads to sales, not just engagement

When you analyze what content works, you remove guesswork and focus your efforts on what grows your store.

Related Reads:

• What Should I Post on Social Media to Sell More on Shopify?
• 5 AI-Powered Marketing Tools Every Shopify Seller Should Know
• How to Never Run Out of Social Media Content Ideas