Social Media Measurement and Monitoring

We are in the age of Networking. Social Media is no more an evolving platform to reach people. Most of the online companies have realized the power possessed by Facebook and Twitter, and they are already successfully making sales and getting business leads through such channels. With large amount of corporate money is on stake, the Social media measurement and monitoring reports have become the essential component to keep an eye on the ROI made.

Many companies come up with statements that measuring social media ROI is not possible. Well, it is not a straightforward job, as it is for E-mail marketing, Pay per click advertising campaign and Search Engine Optimization i.e. SEO of a website. This is so, because the concept behind the social media is not the same as the other. Let us look into this first.

SOCIAL MEDIA – the Concept

While all the other channels focus on generating new business, and getting leads, the social media is used with a primary focus on developing bonds and relationship. The relationship could be between person-to-person, business-to-business, person-to-business and brand-to-person. While the prior is meant to establish yourself as better salesperson, the later is to establish yourself as a contributor to the society.

Hence, a mere selling pitch in social media is not a successful path. In other words, Social media is not about acquisition, but retention.

Engagement is the KEY

Engagement is the only reason of why Social media is so popular. People want to get out of daily sales pitch they listen to. They want to discuss their problems, not the products available in the market. And want their trusted circle to suggest a solution to their problem. That solution can be a product and services available in the market. But again people do not want a salesman in their social media contact list. Hence, all you have to do is to provide a solution.

Interact with the people, help them in finding solutions, educate them about your category, answer to their queries, and you will find that you are becoming their trusted resource. Over time you can become the expert on the subject, among the viewers. They will respect your comments, and will respond accordingly.

And at that point of time, if any one of them looking for the vendors providing likewise services and products as yours, you will be in their priority list. Also, if there is someone seeking for your services in their contact list, they will be marketing for you, and that too for free.

So how to calculate the ROI in Social Media?

In social media, the ROI can be look as ROC i.e. Return on Conversation. If someone is responding to you, liking what you say, sharing your ideas, discussing with you and seeking for your next comments by following you, they are your returns.

Hence, In Social Media.
Specifically in - Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
The only thing that is worth measuring is - "Engagement". All we have to do is to use the engagement while creating social media measurement and monitoring reports.

Parameters for ROI in Social Media

Below are different parameters that can be tracked from time to time to know whether your investments in social media is in right direction or not. These can be used as the elements for the social media measurement and monitoring reports

FACEBOOK

1. LIKE
2. Comments
3. Replies / Discussion
4. Participation in POLLS
5. Page Views / Unique page view
6. Post Views
7. New Users / Fans
8. Demographic - Gender / Age / Countries / Cities

TWITTER

1. Followers
2. ReTweets

LINKEDIN

1. Comments
2. Replies
3. Connections

For any Website promotion or Internet marketing services related query, Please contact:
Prateek Samuel
Asst Manager - Operations
Himshilp: Internet Marketing Consultants / Rainmaker Interactive Pvt. Ltd.
www.himshilp.com