How To Prove Your Brand’s Social Media ROI
Social media is a big component
in a marketer’s toolbox:
It can accomplish objectives
and take
businesses far.
So, why is it so
hard to understand
Social Media ROI?
As a social media marketer,
you know things like:
LIKES SHARES FOLLOWERS
MENTIONS RETWEETS
are good ways to measure success online.
But your company’s executives and decision makers
CAN’T UNDERSTAND YOU!
They understand
words like:
SALES COST REVENUE
Nichole Kelly,
author of How to Measure Social Media,
says these di!erent languages, or “metrics,”
don’t blend well.
It’s time to speak the same
language.!
As a social-savvy business person,
you should be able to communicate how
social media is accomplishing overall
company objectives in a way that is
understandable to the entire company.
Here’s 2 steps to translate
SOCIAL metrics
into
BUSINESS metrics:
Here’s how to translate
SOCIAL METRICS
into
BUSINESS METRICS
You’re already aware of
the Sales Funnel:
Brand Awareness Lead Generation
Customer Acquisition
Customer Retention
(Repeat)
a. Brand Awareness
In social media,
brand awareness is demonstrated by
Impressions and Engagement
(Facebook fans or Twitter followers).
These prospects sit at the TOP of the sales funnel.
b. Lead Generation
This is measured by Leads and Content Conversions
(content downloads, webinar attendees, email opt-ins).
These leads sit in the MIDDLE of the funnel.
c. Customer Acquisition
After using social media and content marketing,
you have built a relationship with leads based on
trust and problem solving ability
(proven expertise/credibility, useful resources).
These customers sit at the BOTTOM of the funnel.
d. Customer Retention
These consumers have given you their business,
now you can keep them happy with continued
social media engagement.
These customers RETURN TO THE TOP of the funnel
to repeat the process.
Social media can be very e!ective at moving customers through the sales funnel.
Assure the rest of your company that social media is
Getting New Leads and Converting Them into SALES
…everyone can understand and appreciate that.
"#$!
"%$!
"&$!
In order to e!ectively communicate the progress that
your company is making, it may be helpful to explain
the subtle di!erences between social media strategy
and traditional marketing to the
executives of your company:
If you’re trying to get leads through social media, it’s important to know the di!erence between
Soft leads and HARD LEADS.
Soft leads are interested in you
and they might have given you their
email address in exchange for valuable content.
HARD LEADS are qualified prospects
that are well on their way to becoming a customer.
You can get soft leads through social media,
but
you will usually need an email marketing channel
to convert them into HARD LEADS.
Social media is for lead nurturing,
but usually not for selling.
Social media should be more focused on
building relationships, providing valuable resources,
and establishing credibility as a thought leader.
Saying “LOOK AT ME!” or “BUY MY PRODUCT!”
WILL NOT WORK
Try to avoid pushing your product, and instead,
focus on creating good content that moves your
consumers through the sales funnel.
As marketing or sales managers,
you will want to know the
cost and value of social media leads.
Cost can be measured by
the cost per impression or cost per lead.
Value can be measured by
how long it takes for the lead to purchase,
how much they have purchased, and
how many more times they have purchased.
Usually, leads acquired through social media are much less costly to your organization.
That makes executives happy.
Using these types of metrics will help your company understand the value of social media.
It’s easy to understand the ROI of your social media campaign if you work with marketers who can communicate the value of social media by explaining how specified business objectives were met through social e!orts.
Where can you find these marketing experts who understand your business and can leverage social
media to accomplish your organization’s goals?
Want to know more about communicating your
brand’s social media ROI? Read the full article here.
ParkerWhite crafts strategic marketing & branding to create meaningful connections between consumers &
brands for health, wellness & active lifestyle companies.
To learn more about ParkerWhite, visit www.parkerwhitecom