This is an independent study, commissioned by Adobe, that looks at social media marketing measurement across Europe.
Learn how Adobe can help you tie social media marketing to real business results: http://www.omniture.com/go/39875
1. Social Media Marketing ROI Study
An Independent Study, commissioned by Adobe, that looks at
Social Media Marketing measurement across Europe
2. Methodology
Independent research by Vanson Bourne, commissioned by Adobe.
500 marketing directors were polled across the UK, France, Italy, Germany and the
Nordics.
500 interviews were carried out in April and May 2011 with marketing decision-
makers in companies of at least 250 employees.
In order to qualify the companies had to use social media within their marketing
strategy.
The survey sample comprises 100 organisations in each country.
The research covered a wide range of sectors, including businesses with a B2B or
B2C focus.
Findings from the study were released on September 21st 2011.
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3. Methodology
Size of Company
Base: All respondents Total UK France Germany Italy The Nordics
251 – 500 employees 43% 41% 52% 48% 38% 35%
501 – 1000 employees 21% 22% 21% 22% 15% 23%
1001 – 3000 employees 16% 12% 12% 12% 22% 24%
More than 3000 employees 20% 25% 15% 18% 25% 18%
Base 500 100 100 100 100 100
Focus of Business
Base: All respondents Total UK France Germany Italy The Nordics
B2B 33 % 29 % 45 % 28 % 24 % 40 %
B2C 19 % 9% 25 % 18 % 19 % 24 %
Both B2B and B2C 48 % 62 % 30 % 54 % 57 % 36 %
Base 500 100 100 100 100 100
Sectors Covered:
• Manufacturing
• Financial services
• Utilities
• Technology & Communications
• IT and Computer Services (including B2B HighTech)
• Consumer electronics and technology
• Retail
• Distribution or transport
• Media and entertainment
• Consumer services
• Travel and hospitality
• Business & professional services
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4. Key findings
The first set of data to be released from this Research Study in September 2011 looks
at the attitude and behaviour towards social media marketing measurement in
Europe
The top priority for European marketing directors in social media marketing is deciding how
to measure the value of their social investment
58 per cent of European Marketing Directors feel that “deciding how to measure social
media investment” is the top priority in social media marketing.
More than three quarters (78 per cent) of European marketers do not feel they have a
complete and up-to-date view on how much they are investing in, managing and delivering
social media campaigns.
“As with the evolution of digital marketing ten years ago, there is a significant opportunity to grow the use of social
media for marketing by really understanding what the returns are. Investment in social marketing is being held
back by an inability to measure the end results. Once we get this right as an industry, this will naturally unlock the
potential for further investment. The willingness to do this is existing within organizations today but the onus is on
the industry to provide the necessary support to make this a reality in Europe and globally.”
Neil Morgan, senior director, EMEA marketing at Adobe.
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6. What do European Marketing Directors consider as the main priorities
when approaching social marketing?
“Deciding how to measure the value of an
investment in social media” is the highest
Deciding how to measure the value of my investment in social media
priority for marketing directors in Europe.
Deciding how much of my marketing budget to invest in social media
Deciding how to find the necessary resources and people to manage social media
Deciding which social media outlets to invest in
Deciding how to convince senior management of the necessity to invest
Deciding how to change or modify the culture of my company to accept social
media
58% 55% 53% 48%
35% 32%
19%
Deciding how to Deciding how much Deciding how to find Deciding which social Deciding how to Deciding how to Deciding how to
measure the value of of my marketing the necessary media outlets to convince senior change or modify the convince my team
my investment in budget to invest in resources and people invest in management of the culture of my that social media is
social media social media to manage social necessity to invest company to accept not a priority
media social media
Q12) A lot of marketers are currently assessing social media priorities. Please rank your top three priorities from the list
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below, where '1' is your most important priority. Percentage of respondents to rank 1,2 or 3.
7. Are companies currently measuring how social media marketing impacts
revenue?
36% are measuring social media
marketing’s impact on revenue, but not
doing so accurately
60%
55%
50%
45%
40%
36%
35%
30%
30%
25%
20%
19%
16%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Total
Yes, we do this very well
Yes, but we don't do this accurately
No, we don't know how to do this but would like to
No, this is not a priority for us – we use social media purely for branding not sales
Q28) Does your company currently measure how social media marketing impacts revenue? Base: All respondents 7
8. In the next 12 months, are companies planning to measure how social
media marketing impacts revenue?
17% Yes
47% of
organisations who
No don’t currently
measure how social
47% I don't
media marketing
know impacts revenue,
will do so in the
next 12 months.
36%
Q30) In the next 12 months, is your company planning to measure how social media marketing impacts revenue? Base: 8
Respondents who don't currently measure how social media marketing impacts revenue
9. What methods do businesses have in place today to measure social
media marketing efforts?
40% of European businesses have bought
specific software to measure and analyse
55%
their social media marketing efforts
50%
45%
40%
40%
35% 32%
30%
25%
22%
20%
15%
10%
6%
5%
0%
Total
We have bought specific software to measure and analyse our social media marketing efforts
We have employees gathering the information and we analyse it ourselves
We use one or more free measurement software tools that are found online
We rely on people within the organization providing us with the information on an ad-hoc basis
Q29) What methods do you have in place today to measure social media marketing efforts? Base: Respondents who
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currently measure how social media marketing impacts revenue
10. In the next 12 months if companies are going to measure how social
media impacts revenue, how are they planning to do this?
5% Some of the team will gather the information
and we will analyse it ourselves
28% Buy software to measure and analyse our social
media marketing efforts comprehensively
20%
Use one or more free measurement software
tools that are found online
I have not thought about that yet
23%
25%
We will rely on people within the organization
providing us with the information on an ad-hoc
basis
Q31) How do you plan to measure how social media impacts revenue? Base: Respondents who are planning
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to measure how social media impacts revenue in the next 12 months
11. Are European businesses integrating social media alongside other
traditional metrics?
61% of businesses are integrating social
90%
media alongside other traditional metrics
80%
70%
61%
60%
50%
40%
35%
30%
20%
10%
4%
0%
Total
Yes No I don't know
Q26) Do you currently integrate social media with other traditional metrics in your organization, for example do you integrate Facebook
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traffic with web traffic to track customer behaviour? Base: All respondents
12. What reasons do those not currently integrating metrics give to explain
lack of integration?
60%
39% do not regard integrating metrics alongside
other traditional metrics as important.
55%
50%
45%
40% 39% 39%
35%
30%
25% 23%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Total
We don't regard it as important We don't have the know-how It's never occurred to us to do so
Q27) Which of these best explain why you do not integrate social media with other traditional metrics? Base:
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Respondents who don't integrate social media with other traditional metrics
13. Should there be an industry standard for RoI in social media?
55% think there should be an industry standard
for RoI in social media.
65%
60%
55%
55%
50%
45%
40%
35%
30%
25% 24%
21%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Total
Yes No Don't know
Q34) Do you think there needs to be an industry standard for ROI in social
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media? Base: All Respondents
14. What is the best way ROI of social media should be measured?
50% think measurement of social media should
be integrated within the wider marketing mix
70%
66%
65%
60%
56%
55%
50% 49%
50%
46%
45%
40% 41% 40%
40%
35% 33% 32% 33%
30% 27%
25%
25%
20% 17%
14%
15% 12%
9% 10%
10%
5%
0%
Total UK France Germany Italy The Nordics
Measurement of social media should be integrated within the wider marketing mix
Measurement of social media should be done in isolation from other marketing campaigns
Not sure
Q34) Which of these do you believe is the best way ROI of social media should
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be measured? Base: All Respondents
15. Which of these social media outlets are used in European Marketing
activity?
Facebook is the most widely used social
90% media outlet, for marketing, in Europe.
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Facebook Twitter Forums Blogs YouTube LinkedIn Social Media
outlets specific to
your own country
Total UK France Germany Italy The Nordics
Q2) Which of these social media outlets do you use in your marketing?: Facebook, Twitter, Forums, Blogs, YouTube, LinkedIn, Local
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specific outlets