How to Identify Lifetime Metrics in Analytics Reports
Introduction
When you view analytics reports on SocialPilot, the date picker at the top of the page lets you filter data by a specific time period such as the last 7 days, last 30 days, or a custom range.
However, some metrics are not affected by the date picker at all. They always reflect either total accumulated data since account creation, or a fixed recent window that cannot be changed.
For this, SocialPilot uses visual indicators to let you quickly distinguish between:
- Time-bound metrics (affected by date range)
- Lifetime metrics (not affected by date range)
In This Article:
- Where to find the label on a metric card
- "Last 24 Hours" on Instagram Stories as a Special Case
- Full list of fixed-scope metrics by platform
Where to Find the Label on a Metric Card
The data scope label appears directly on the metric card in your report, alongside the metric name. You do not need to navigate anywhere to find it. If a metric card has no label, it responds normally to your date picker selection.
"Last 24 Hours" on Instagram Stories as a Special Case
Instagram's API only makes Stories data available for the most recent 24-hour period. This is a platform-level restriction and cannot be adjusted from within SocialPilot or any third-party tool.
This means all Stories metrics always reflect the last 24 hours only, regardless of what date range you have selected on your report. Every Instagram Stories metric card carries a "Last 24 Hours" label so this is always visible to you.
Full List of Fixed-Scope Metrics by Platform
Instagram:
|
Metric |
Label shown |
What it means |
|
Total Followers |
Lifetime |
Total followers on your profile today |
|
Follower Growth Trend |
Last 30 Days |
New followers over the last 30 days, not your selected range |
|
Audience Demographics, |
Lifetime |
Cumulative audience breakdown since account creation |
|
Top Cities by Followers, |
Lifetime |
All-time follower distribution by city |
|
Top Countries by Followers, |
Lifetime |
All-time follower distribution by country |
|
Followers Online Activity, |
Last 30 Days |
Online activity pattern over the last 30 days, not your selected range |
Stories metrics — all carry the "Last 24 Hours" label
- Stories Published
- Stories Reach
- Taps Forward
- Taps Back
- Exits
- Stories Interactions
- Story Interaction Rate
- Stories Replies
- Stories Shares
- Stories Navigation and Replies
All metrics below carry the Lifetime Data label
Profile metrics:
- Total Page Likes
- Posts Published
- Top Countries by Page Fans
- Top Cities by Page Fans
Post metrics:
- Posts Published
- Post Impressions Trend
- Engagement Trend
X (Twitter)
All metrics below carry the Lifetime Data label
- Followers
- Following
- Total Tweets
LinkedIn — Personal Profile
All metrics below carry the Lifetime Data label
- Total Followers
- Total Connections
LinkedIn — Company Page
All metrics below carry the Lifetime Data label
- Total Followers
Google Business Profile
All metrics below carry the Lifetime Data label
- Average Rating
- Total Reviews
YouTube
All metrics below carry the Lifetime Data label
- Total Subscribers
- Audience Demographics
- Countries With Most Engagement
- Device Type
- Operating System
TikTok
All metrics below carry the Lifetime Data label
- Total Followers
- Total Following
Instagram — Competitor Report
All metrics below carry the Lifetime Data label
- Followers
Facebook — Competitor Report
All metrics below carry the Lifetime Data label
- Followers
Tips for Better Interpretation
- Always check for the lifetime indicator before comparing metrics across date ranges.
- Avoid drawing trends from lifetime metrics unless the label specifies a fixed window (e.g., "Last 30 Days").
- Use time-bound metrics for performance analysis and period-over-period reporting.