Web Analytics : Vulcan Right?

     Analytics are amazing. The results of people viewing one image can be broken down into a demographic, “click through” ratio that would knock the socks off Mr. Spock!

      That being said, a worthwhile Social Media campaign, as with any successful process, must begin with a plan. That plan must begin with certain objectives in mind: What is a business seeking to discover or achieve with a social media campaign. Looking for a wider audience for a product or service? Trying to improve or replace the current customer service system? Establish a new image (brand) with the next generation of consumers or reinforce an established image with clientele through new channels?

    

      It is only when a business has ascertained what it is seeking to gain from social media exposure, that the task of collating data to measure the success or failure of these goals can begin. Utilizing the fallout of information that returns from the explosion of Social Media exposure is a daunting task. The tools for measuring (and they are numerous and bewildering) are only as good as the people using them. As with surgeons' scalpels, they can be used to heal or misused to harm.

      

     I read a job posting for the position of “Social Media Manager” the other day. The alphabet soup of prerequisite diagnostic knowledge was enough to make anyone's head spin. What I didn't see in the job requirements was the ability to translate empirical data into what could be clearly understood by people who had a marketing plan in mind, but weren't interested in SEO, SEM, SERP, PPC, CPC or any of the other acronyms which seem to appear almost daily, and are only understood by Social Media Marketers and Vulcans!

      If you are interested in laying out a plan for using Social Media to enhance your marketing strategy, contact us at www.roambusiness.com We can meet to discuss how we can put your plan into action and measure the results in plain language.

R.N.

The Elusive ROI : The Answer is Blowin' in the Wind!

      When it comes to a business using Social Media to market products and services, the one, seemingly elusive, factor is ROI (Return On Investment). Sure, there are all kind of metrics and performance indicators. There are analytics tools that will measure buzz, virality, re-tweets, shares, comments, and all sorts of data that can be interpreted in any number of ways. But the bottom line, the real question at the end of fiscal period, is: “Does the time and money spent on Social Media ad campaigns increase net income?”

      Every good Social Media Marketer is really an old fashioned salesperson at heart, and every salesperson likes to have a presentation to make a point. Pie charts, power point presentations, and all sorts of trendy buzz-words can make an impression on the uninitiated, but serious business owners want to see the return in black ink, on an income statement.

     Fortunately, the answer to the question of ROI in terms of Social Media marketing is simple. A professionally managed campaign, taking into consideration the realistic expectations of the Business Owner will always show a positive return on investment. Think of it in terms of the wind. Wind is in a constant flux, it can be overpowering, it can be soothing, it can be freezing. Wind-power can be harnessed to power a machine. Nature uses it for seed dispersal, and that is how a well managed Social Media campaign can sow the seeds for ROI. As with Social Media campaigns, wind can also be measured in many different ways but the net effect of dispersing seeds and propagating growth can only been seen once the fruit is born.

     If you are interested in leaning what difference a professionally managed Social Media campaign can mean for your business, visit our website at www.roambusiness.com and contact us. We promise there will be no “long-winded” explanations, just results!

R.N.