Social Media Planning & Measurement: Proving (or not) the Value of Social Media Beth Harte Community Manager, MarketingProfs @bethharte

Why Measurement is Important

The silver bullet myth Image source: realestatedementia.com/

Are you ready for hard work? Image source: http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/JAG/03-PS35-6.jpg

Politics will always exist Image source: http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/tcr/lowres/tcrn92l.jpg

Image source: clarinet-now.com Tactics without a plan...

Don’t think you need a plan? Image Source: www.bulldogblog.net/articles/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/money.jpg

With a plan... Image source: clarinet-now.com

How to write a measurable plan

The Plan: Goal Measurable Objectives Strategy Tactics

Goal

Measurable Objectives

Strategy

Tactics

What is a goal? What do you hope to gain by engaging in social media? Does your goal fit into the overall corporate goal? How to write a goal: To increase sales To decrease customer service expenditures How not to write a goal: To increase sales AND to increase customer engagement Image source: getentrepreneurial.com

What do you hope to gain by engaging in social media?

Does your goal fit into the overall corporate goal?

How to write a goal:

To increase sales

To decrease customer service expenditures

How not to write a goal:

To increase sales AND to increase customer engagement

Types of objectives Output: Physical products Blog post, news release, e-mail, etc. Outtake: What a target audience takes away Messages, perceptions, understandings Outcome: Quantifiable changes in attitudes, behaviors, or opinions Sales, change in the number of downloads, requests, responses

Output: Physical products

Blog post, news release, e-mail, etc.

Outtake: What a target audience takes away

Messages, perceptions, understandings

Outcome: Quantifiable changes in attitudes, behaviors, or opinions

Sales, change in the number of downloads, requests, responses

Writing measurable objectives To be measurable, objectives MUST include: A specific desire, communication or behavioral effect; A designated target audience among whom the effect is to be achieved; The expected level of attainment; and The timeframe in which those attainments are to occur.

To be measurable, objectives MUST include:

A specific desire, communication or behavioral effect;

A designated target audience among whom the effect is to be achieved;

The expected level of attainment; and

The timeframe in which those attainments are to occur.

Measurable objectives Output: To create a Facebook fan page and have 15% of online public #2 join within 6 months . Outtake: To increase positive mentions that include key message in key industry blogs by 15% within six months . Outcome: To increase sales of Product X by 20% within 3 months .

Output: To create a Facebook fan page and have 15% of online public #2 join within 6 months .

Outtake: To increase positive mentions that include key message in key industry blogs by 15% within six months .

Outcome: To increase sales of Product X by 20% within 3 months .

To increase sales To decrease customer service expenditures To increase sales and to increase customer engagement To decrease customer service expenditures and to increase customer satisfaction How not to write an objective

To increase sales

To decrease customer service expenditures

To increase sales and to increase customer engagement

To decrease customer service expenditures and to increase customer satisfaction

Strategy What is the approach to achieving objectives and reaching the goal? Example: Establish a Facebook Fan Page to keep target audiences connected. Set up a Ning community to support customers of Product X. Image source: getentrepreneurial.com

What is the approach to achieving objectives and reaching the goal?

Example: Establish a Facebook Fan Page to keep target audiences connected.

Set up a Ning community to support customers of Product X.

Tactics What activities will be conducted to carryout specific objectives? What tools will be used? Example: Set up the Facebook account Invite target audience via an e-mail Image source: http://francisanderson.files.wordpress.com

What activities will be conducted to carryout specific objectives?

What tools will be used?

Example:

Set up the Facebook account

Invite target audience via an e-mail

A Sample Plan Outline Goal Objective 1 (Outcome objective) Strategy 1 Tactic 1 Tactic 2 Objective 2 (Output objective) Strategy 1 Tactic 1 Strategy 2 Tactic 1 Tactic 2

Goal

Objective 1 (Outcome objective)

Strategy 1

Tactic 1

Tactic 2

Objective 2 (Output objective)

Strategy 1

Tactic 1

Strategy 2

Tactic 1

Tactic 2

Sample Measurable Plan Goal: To lose weight Outcome Objective: I want to lose 10 pounds by September 15th Strategy 1: I will go to the gym 5 times a week Tactic 1: Elliptical machine Tactic 2: Weight training Strategy 2: I will watch what I eat Tactic 1: Weight Watchers Tactic 2: Journal Measurement: I lost 8 pounds by September 15th (Objective not met) Image source: http://reviewsofdietprograms.com/photos/scale.jpg

Goal: To lose weight

Outcome Objective: I want to lose 10 pounds by September 15th

Strategy 1: I will go to the gym 5 times a week

Tactic 1: Elliptical machine

Tactic 2: Weight training

Strategy 2: I will watch what I eat

Tactic 1: Weight Watchers

Tactic 2: Journal

Measurement: I lost 8 pounds by September 15th (Objective not met)

Sample Measurable Plan Goal: To increase sales Outcome Objective: To increase sales of Product X by 20% within 3 months Strategy 1: To use Facebook to engage customers of product X Tactic 1: Create a Facebook Fan Page Tactic 2: Create Facebook Ads Strategy 2: To use Twitter to engage customers of product X Tactic 1: Conversational Tweets Tactic 2: Tweets with discount codes Measurement: An increase of sales in Product X of 25% within 6 months (Objective not met) Image source: http://www.salesmotivation.net/img/salesrun.jpg

Goal: To increase sales

Outcome Objective: To increase sales of Product X by 20% within 3 months

Strategy 1: To use Facebook to engage customers of product X

Tactic 1: Create a Facebook Fan Page

Tactic 2: Create Facebook Ads

Strategy 2: To use Twitter to engage customers of product X

Tactic 1: Conversational Tweets

Tactic 2: Tweets with discount codes

Measurement: An increase of sales in Product X of 25% within 6 months (Objective not met)

Plans need to be flexible Image Source: Flickr, ralphventon

What to measure when it comes to social media

Typical Measurement & Value Image sources: harperstudio.typepad.com, tiphut.wordpress.com , bp.blogspot.com, publichealth.columbus.gov, bmwblog.com, conversationmarketing.com

Measurement Today

Traditional Marketing Funnel

Social Network Interference

New Marketing Funnel

SM Measurement of Engagement Image sources: digitalstrategy.govt.nz, orionwell.files.wordpress.com, itqb.unl.pt, iStock, gognis.net

What to measure... Friends, Followers, Fans Comments/Subscribers Tweets/Retweets URL shortener stats Increased web traffic Click-thrus Net Promoter Score Influence Sentiment Brand mentions Share of conversation Image source: www.flickr.com/photos/joshrussell/580372830

Friends, Followers, Fans

Comments/Subscribers

Tweets/Retweets

URL shortener stats

Increased web traffic

Click-thrus

Net Promoter Score

Influence

Sentiment

Brand mentions

Share of conversation

B enchmarking O bjectives R eturn on Expenditures R eturn on Investment Measurement Best Practices BORR-ing...but necessary! Image source: www.usm.edu/pr/releases/2006/may/cook.htm

B enchmarking

O bjectives

R eturn on Expenditures

R eturn on Investment

Benchmarking Image Sources: http://www.defenselink.mil/ & http://www.sweatyguineapig.com Where did we start? Plan #1: 15 lbs. overweight Plan #2: $50,000 in sales Where did we end? Plan #1: 7 lbs. overweight (lost 8 lbs) Plan #2: $62,500 in sales (25% increase)

Objectives Plan #1: I want to lose 10 pounds by September 15 th Results: 8 pounds lost by September 15 th Objective not met by 7 pounds Plan #2: To increase sales of Product X by 20% within 3 months Results: Sales of Product X increased by 25% in six months Objective not met by 3 months

Plan #1: I want to lose 10 pounds by September 15 th

Results: 8 pounds lost by September 15 th

Objective not met by 7 pounds

Plan #2: To increase sales of Product X by 20% within 3 months

Results: Sales of Product X increased by 25% in six months

Objective not met by 3 months

Measuring Tactical Expenditures: Gym cost $50/month (1 month) Weight Watchers cost $400/month (1 month) Journal cost $5.00 New sneakers cost $80.00 New gym clothes cost $100.00 TOTAL: $635.00/8 lbs = $79.38 per pound ROE – Plan #1

Measuring Tactical Expenditures:

Gym cost

$50/month (1 month)

Weight Watchers cost

$400/month (1 month)

Journal cost

$5.00

New sneakers cost

$80.00

New gym clothes cost

$100.00

TOTAL: $635.00/8 lbs = $79.38 per pound

ROE – Plan #2 Measuring Tactical Expenditures : Facebook Free Facebook Ads $500/month (3 months = $1,500) Employee’s Facebook Time $40/hour ($40/hr * 10 hrs/wk * 12 weeks = $4,800 ) Twitter Free Employee’s Twitter Time $40/hour ($40/hr * 10 hrs/wk * 12 weeks = $4,800 ) TOTAL: $11,100/5 sales = $2,220 per sale

Measuring Tactical Expenditures :

Facebook

Free

Facebook Ads

$500/month (3 months = $1,500)

Employee’s Facebook Time

$40/hour ($40/hr * 10 hrs/wk * 12 weeks = $4,800 )

Twitter

Free

Employee’s Twitter Time

$40/hour ($40/hr * 10 hrs/wk * 12 weeks = $4,800 )

TOTAL: $11,100/5 sales = $2,220 per sale

ROI – What’s the R? Image sources: http://www.mywasher.net & http://mymoneymakingexperiment.commoney-blogging.gif

ROI – What’s the I? Image sources: blogs.discovermagazine.com, www.ecu.edu, www.clydepumps.com/overview-2

ROI – Plan #2 Gain from Investment – Cost of Investment Cost of Investment And is always expressed in a percentage! $12,500 - $11,100 $11,100 ROI = 13% Sales Expenditures

Measurement is a puzzle Image source: www.askmario.com/backtalk/backtalk_puzzle.php

Where tools can help and where they can’t

Tools to help measure

Tools to help measure Image Sources: mentalfloss.cachefly.net, www.orthonurse.org, i.ehow.com/images, www.smbmarketingguide.com/

Who needs to be involved & what management expects

Who needs to be involved C-Suite (CMO) Finance Marketing Management (VP) Marketing Directors/Managers Support Staff Vendors

C-Suite (CMO)

Finance

Marketing Management (VP)

Marketing Directors/Managers

Support Staff

Vendors

Speak Management’s Language Metrics that management wants to see: An increase in sales of $12,500 as benchmarked against last quarter Objective was not met by 3 months Each sale was $2,500 at an expense of $2,220 Social Media ROI was 13%

Metrics that management wants to see:

An increase in sales of $12,500 as benchmarked against last quarter

Objective was not met by 3 months

Each sale was $2,500 at an expense of $2,220

Social Media ROI was 13%

Get Management Approval Present your analysis What did you hear? What was the sentiment? What is the competition doing? Share your measurable plan to address findings Provide detailed information Budget Required resources, time, vendors, etc. Demonstrate how you will provide an ROI

Present your analysis

What did you hear? What was the sentiment? What is the competition doing?

Share your measurable plan to address findings

Provide detailed information

Budget

Required resources, time, vendors, etc.

Demonstrate how you will provide an ROI

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