Before you can measure social media ROI you first need to define what you want to accomplish by setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-Bound) goals. In addition to being SMART, your goals also need to be tied to an impact on sales. As I discussed in my previous blog post about social media and ROI, decision makers don't care about engagements or conversations. They care about how your allocation of resources has either added to the bottom line $$$ or provided a cost savings. Primary social media ROI goals fall into three basic categories. Here are some ...

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, our team here at Effect has been taking some time to think about all of the blessings in our life. Here is our list of the top 5 things we are thankful for: 1. Our clients Our clients rock. We have so many wonderful clients who challenge us every day to be the best we can be and to stretch our creative wings.  As a web agency we get to be a part of our clients' marketing team, partnering with them to find solutions that grow their business. There is no bigger high than watching our clients meet and surpass their goals. 2. Our talented team The ...

Measuring ROI of your social media marketing IS possible. You can focus your efforts on building a network of engaged, active customers AND you can measure how social media affects the bottom line. Also because social media is NOT free (see the diagram below) it is important to demonstrate this tactic's contribution to the bottom line in order to keep C-Level management happy and the budget allocations for social media flowing. So why then are 84% of social media programs not measuring ROI? I think it's due in part to a lack of understanding about the fundamentals of ROI. Defining ...

I am currently reading the 4 Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss. Amongst the dozens of inspiring business techniques Ferriss enlightens readers with, the idea of automating aspects of your business is particularily interesting to me. One of the most common tools used to automate business is an effective website. Your website has the potential to become a fine-tuned, lead generating machine, that will not only help you grow your business, but also save you time and money. Here are some examples of ways you can use your website to automate certain aspects of your business: Collect ...