Pathetic Social Media Infographics Must Die - or - Handle With Care: Free Social Media Numbers

For the love of God, please please please don't take social media numbers on face value.

Come on people, it's not like this stuff just came out yesterday. Everyone reading this should know that there are lies, damned lies and social media numbers. Can you get something interesting out of the data? Yes, absolutely. But way too often, as with any statistical analysis, the numbers get spun every which way, or just used completely inappropriately.

Three days previously >> I am on a facebook group chat with one of our illustrious clients in Switzerland. He has something he thinks is cool and interesting, "Data is cumulated followers on 10 social platforms (logos shown bottom page) .... Put together by European football digital agency and sent today free (and they'll release to their database).". I won't post the pathetic infographic. The one above is our version with some proper numbers. Email us if you really want to see the rubbish one.

This was my response:

• cumulated social media following across 10 platforms = pointless.

• no de-duping

• no allowance for the diaspora

• no accounting for population size

• no allowance for internet penetration or facebook penetration

• oh, and whoever put it together didn't know that some National Associations have two facebook accounts - one for team, one for the federation - and some don't have a facebook page at all

Most followed players in the EUROs by Group - for high quality see link below

It's a lovely afternoon here in London and I should be chilled out going into the weekend - but I am angry. We, as a sector, should be beyond this. Agencies should know better. Don't put out wrong/misleading numbers for the sake of an infographic or a hoped-for headline - you do us all a disservice.

Thanks goodness the National Associations and governing bodies are experienced enough to know that you need a more critical eye.

With all this criticism, our friends in the facebook group suggested we put together some numbers that DO make sense. So, in an attempt to raise the standard just a little bit, here is the Seven League EURO2016 Teams Social Media Reach graphic - based on actual facts. Enjoy.