Using ROI Thinking to Build A Community for Your Blog Using measurement to learn what works and what doesn’t Beth Kanter, Beth’s Blog eMetrics – October 21, 2008

Beth Kanter: Trainer Photo by Steve Goodman

Let’s define Return on Investment Thinking

Executive Director How much will it cost? What are the results? How much staff time? Can we afford it?

How do I calculate that?

Sum of Time & Money Saved Plus …. Minus … Time & Money spent on your blog Equals … Return on Investment Money earned or donated Benefits translated into value Plus …. The ROI of Blogging ….

It is more than just math …

It is looking in the mirror . . .

Benchmarking with metrics as guides for improvement ….

Especially if you just started to climb the social media mountain …

When I started blogging in 2003 …

How come no one is commenting?

I was talking to myself

Set a goal Identify the audience Strategy and Tactics

Beth’s Blog: Nonprofits and Social Media Profiles & Presence Content in many places RSS Powered Fundraising Sharing photos, bookmarks, videos, and more Conversations network

How can I engage? Listening by using monitoring tools Read other blogs in RSS reader Incorporate posts with questions, contests, etc. Got my first comment and started to engage in conversation Started to use comments for blog post ideas Started linking to other bloggers in the space Commented on other blogs, joined and engaged in other blog/social media communities Incorporated blog as part of my face-to-face training work

How can I engage?

Listening by using monitoring tools

Read other blogs in RSS reader

Incorporate posts with questions, contests, etc.

Got my first comment and started to engage in conversation

Started to use comments for blog post ideas

Started linking to other bloggers in the space

Commented on other blogs, joined and engaged in other blog/social media communities

Incorporated blog as part of my face-to-face training work

Then I discovered the measurement gurus …

The Secret Sauce Raw Author Contribution Unique Blog Readers Conversation Index Authority Cost Return on Investment Avinash

1. Raw Author Contribution

2. Unique Blog Readers RSS Subscribers

Unique Daily Visitors

Do I really want visitors because they Googled “Beth”?

So, I added a tagline to my blog – “how nonprofits can use social media.” Good thing because after Howard Stern married a woman named Beth and the band KISS posted that song on YouTube, my blog was no longer number one! (Although still on the top page of results)

Much better to show up first when people google the words social media nonprofit.

3. Conversation Index

I got obsessed with conversations in the comments …

But there are other ways to evaluate engagement

2008 2007 What drives other social media sites and bloggers to link to you?

The Three R’s of Relationship Building

Relationship Building

Rewards

Reciprocity

4. Cost

Reading Writing Maintenance Outreach Commenting Work Flow 5-10 hours per week

Value

Increased and more efficient inquiries for service

Over $215,000 raised ….

There are also intangible benefits

Deepens expertise

“ Your blog has made a tremendous difference in my work at my nonprofit .” “ You've really been a huge help. Thank you for taking the time to help us newbies along. I especially appreciate both the quality and the personal nature of your posts and learning tools." - Nonprofit Reader

Yes!

Goal Audience Strategy Metrics and Benchmark Look at benefits and values Intangibles are important Reflect on the data to improve

Goal

Audience

Strategy

Metrics and Benchmark

Look at benefits and values

Intangibles are important

Reflect on the data to improve

Thank You! Beth’s Blog http://beth.typepad.com My Wiki http://socialmediametrics.wikispaces.com Have a blog post topic idea? [email_address]