- Think about evaluation at the start of campaigns. Design your measurements during the planning stages instead of at the tail end. While you may have to adjust campaign plans (by calibrating the weights of certain activities or introducing A/B tests), it’s much more effective to begin with the end in mind. The best way is to honestly and realistically define objectives, such as building brand awareness, driving leads, improving customer support or collecting consumer feedback.
- Start with the basics. Social is no different than other campaigns. Consider the purpose, priorities and timing of your evaluation. Clearly define which decisions your evaluation will inform and when you need the insights. There is no one size fits all approach. You will need to select the appropriate data and methodology for your brand and your campaign objectives. For example, if your main objective is brand awareness, you’ll want to look at community growth, as well as sentiment and share of voice. For lead generation, set up special links to track customer behavior. For customer support, compare dips in calls/emails versus rises with online requests or response times.
- Avoid silos and look for context. Social should never live alone. Social media is just one part of your marketing campaign and should be evaluated as such. This means that you’ll need to factor in both long and short-term goals. Activities with call-to-actions, for example, competitions calling for likes, will inevitably result in greater immediate response and online engagement, but they may not necessarily be set up to indicate long-term effects. In addition, looking at the data in context with other marketing objectives, you can see patterns and correlates that might be overlooked if data sits alone.
- Consider content classification for various goals. Some content or initiatives will be more effective for some objectives. A/B testing helps you measure this. You’ll learn what drives conversions and click-throughs, which, ultimately, enables you to understand the ROI on the time and creative spent on your campaigns.
Nicky Yates Published on June 6, 2016 5:13 am
Frequently Asked QuestionsFAQs
How do you measure social media ROI beyond likes and followers?
Focus on metrics that align with your specific objectives, such as community growth and sentiment for brand awareness, or conversion tracking through special links for lead generation. The key is to define clear goals upfront and select appropriate data and methodology for your campaign objectives.
What metrics should I track for social media brand awareness campaigns?
For brand awareness campaigns, focus on community growth, sentiment analysis, and share of voice metrics. These indicators provide a better picture of how your brand presence is expanding and how people perceive your brand online.
When should I start measuring social media campaign effectiveness?
Start planning your measurement strategy during the campaign planning stages, not at the end. Design your evaluation framework upfront with clear objectives, though you may need to adjust by calibrating activities or introducing A/B tests as the campaign progresses.
Should social media metrics be analyzed separately from other marketing data?
No, social media should never be evaluated in isolation from your other marketing efforts. Looking at social data in context with other marketing objectives helps you identify patterns and correlations that might be missed when data sits alone.