Comparing Time Periods in Publlish Analytics
Compare social media performance between two time periods in Publlish. Learn how Period A vs Period B comparisons work, how to read the charts, and which platforms limit historical data.
A number on its own doesn't tell you much. 48,000 reach is great if last month was 30,000 — and worrying if it was 70,000. That's why every channel page in Publlish Analytics is built around period-over-period (PoP) comparison: your current period (Period A) shown side by side with an earlier period (Period B).
How to Compare Two Periods
- Open any channel page under Analytics → Channels
- Click Period A and choose the period you want to analyse: - Last 7 days - Last 14 days - Last 30 days - Last 90 days
- Click Period B and choose what to compare against: - Prev 7 days - Prev 14 days - Prev 30 days - Prev 90 days
- Click ⟳ Refresh to load the comparison
Every KPI, chart and table on the page updates to show both periods.
On the All Channels dashboard, use the date range picker and the vs. dropdown in the header to do the same thing.
How to Read Comparison Charts
- KPI tiles show the Period A value with the change against Period B underneath
- Line charts show Period A as a solid line and Period B overlaid (usually dashed or lighter) so you can see the shape of both periods together
- Bar charts — like weekly follower gains vs losses — show Period A and Period B bars next to each other
- Tables show Period A values with the Period B value beneath each metric
Green arrows mean the metric improved. Red arrows mean it declined. For metrics where lower is better — such as story exit rate or Facebook negative feedback — a decrease is shown as an improvement.
Which Comparison Should I Use?
| Goal | Period A | Period B |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly check-in | Last 7 days | Prev 7 days |
| Campaign review (2-week sprint) | Last 14 days | Prev 14 days |
| Monthly client report | Last 30 days | Prev 30 days |
| Quarterly strategy review | Last 90 days | Prev 90 days |
Always compare periods of the same length — comparing 30 days against 7 days will make every number look like growth.
Platform Limits on Historical Data
Some platforms only share a limited amount of history. Publlish handles this for you, but it helps to know:
- TikTok — the TikTok API caps period analytics at 30 days. If you choose 90 days, Publlish shows the most recent 30 days of actual data. Publlish also stores daily snapshots from the day you connect, so longer trends build up over time.
- X (Twitter) — private metrics (impressions, engagements, URL clicks) are limited to the last 30 days. Public metrics (likes, reposts, replies, quotes, bookmarks) cover the full range.
- Instagram and Facebook Stories — story data is only available for 14 days after posting.
- Facebook and LinkedIn pages — up to 2 years of page history is available.
Full list of data limits by platform →
Comparisons in Reports
When you build a report, you can choose what to compare against:
- Previous period (e.g. last month)
- Same period last year
- No comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I compare against the same period last year? Yes — in the Report Builder, choose "Same period last year" as your comparison. This is especially useful for seasonal businesses.
Why does my 90-day TikTok comparison only show 30 days? TikTok's API limits analytics to 30 days. Publlish shows the 30 days of real data rather than estimating the rest.
Why are some Period B numbers empty? Usually because the channel wasn't connected to Publlish yet during Period B, or the platform doesn't provide data that far back.
Is a decrease always bad? No. For metrics like exit rate or negative feedback, a decrease is good — Publlish highlights these as improvements.