A content scorecard grades each post on four fixed columns, scored against your own median instead of a made-up target. It takes about two minutes per post, it makes any two posts comparable, and after a month it tells you what to make more of. Use reach, response, action and effort.
TLDR: For each post, score reach, response and action as 1 (below your median), 2 (around it) or 3 (above), then add effort in hours. Divide the total by effort. Review the top and bottom five each month.
Many scorecards fail because they ask for 15 metrics and a weighting formula. This one is built to be filled in on a Friday afternoon, by hand if needed.
Why score against your own median
A "good" number depends on who you are. In Mydrop's data, the median engagement rate per post was 3.1% on Instagram, 3.0% on TikTok and 1.1% on Facebook. Half of Instagram posts landed between 1.1% and 6.7%, so a 2% post is normal and a 7% post is a good day.
If you compare your Facebook post against an Instagram benchmark, every post looks like a failure. Compare each post to your own median for that platform and the score means something.
Step 1: find your median per platform
Take your last 20 posts on each platform. Write down reach (or views) and engagement for each, sort them, and pick the middle one. That is your median. The middle half, from the 25th to the 75th percentile, is your normal range.
If you have fewer than 20 posts, use what you have and redo it later. Mydrop's analytics show reach and engagement per post across connected profiles, so you can read the middle values without exporting a spreadsheet.
Step 2: score four columns
| Column | What you record | 1 point | 2 points | 3 points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reach | Views or reach | Below normal range | Inside it | Above it |
| Response | Engagement rate | Below normal range | Inside it | Above it |
| Action | Clicks, saves or sign-ups | None | Some | More than usual |
| Effort | Hours spent | Record the number |
The first three are scored 1 to 3. Effort is a plain number of hours, and it is the column most scorecards forget.
Step 3: divide by effort
Add the three scores, then divide by hours of effort. A simple text post scoring 7 in half an hour beats a polished video scoring 8 after six hours. That does not mean you stop making video. It means you know what each kind of post costs you.
Look at the bottom of the list. Posts with a high effort and a low total are the first ones to simplify or drop.
Add a fifth column only if you need it
Some teams have one extra requirement. Pick one:
- Brand fit, scored yes or no, if you manage several brands and need consistent voice.
- Goal match, if every slot in your calendar has a goal like reach or sales, record whether this post delivered its goal.
Never add more than one. The test of a scorecard is whether you keep using it in month three.
Read the pattern, not the single post
One post can win by luck. A pattern of five cannot. Each month, sort by total score and look at the top five and bottom five. Ask:
- What format were they?
- What topic or hook did they share?
- How long did they take to make?
Write one sentence of conclusion and one change for next month. For example: "Carousels about customer questions scored best and took two hours, so I will plan four next month."
Mydrop's data fits this approach. Carousels ran 10% above an account's typical post, but the gap between best and worst format was only 11%, so your own scorecard will tell you more than a general rule.
Share it with whoever pays for the content
A scorecard is also the shortest report you can send a manager or client. One table, the top three posts, the bottom three and one change. If you report on a schedule, Mydrop's social media reports can package the numbers into a white-label PDF, and your scorecard sits on top as the summary.
Avoid three traps
- Chasing one metric. A post can have huge reach and no action. The columns exist to keep you honest.
- Changing the scale each month. Keep the scoring rules fixed for a quarter, otherwise the trend means nothing.
- Scoring from memory. Fill it in the same day you read the numbers.
Your next step: copy the four-column table, fill it in for your last 10 posts, and write down the one pattern you see. That takes about 30 minutes, and it replaces a month of guessing.
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