I think one of the questions we get really often is how do you measure return on investment with social media.
While there are softwares that allow you to track video views, web statistics etc, many things cannot be measured in the traditional way and we need to ask ourselves what our goal with social media really is.
To some may be hard to understand that part of their efforts will be out there and the results will show along the way, someday. Most people still don’t understand that social media is a process and can never be seen with the same eyes one would use in advertising.
The important thing is to get that:
If people talk about you on Facebook, Twitter or any social network, this is great!
If you get hundreds of people watching your video on YouTube or any other video sharing site, it is a fantastic thing.
If your ideas end up in somebody’s blog, good for you!
If an important phrase for you shows your site on the first page of Google, you are a winner.
Now, if you really want numbers you might want to track:
1. How many sales are coming from your website?
2. How many people download your e-book or ethical bribe?
3. Where do you appear in the search engines with phrases that bring you buyers?
4. How many people engage with you or your company and spread your offers around?
5. How many people get exposed to your messages, offers and ideas?
Again, social media is a process that shows results over time with the added benefit that these results linger for a long time too.