Alan K'necht & Adam Proehl explore the top 10 questions they are asked about measuring social media presented at Pubcon New Orleans on March 20, 2014. By exploring these questions and providing insightful answers and examples and case studies they provide valuable insight in how to measure social marketing efforts.

1. @aknecht @adamproehl
10 Most Frequently
Asked Questions about
Measuring Social Media

2. Social Media
Measurements
Presented by:
Alan K’necht & Adam Proehl
@aknecht @adamproehl
• The ones that matter
• Why they matter
• How to get at them

3. About Us
Alan K’necht • Working with the Internet since 1994
• Started with Digital Analytics in 1995
• Also been a:
– Web developer
– Analyst
– SEO/Social Media
• Teach Digital Analytics for USF Online
• Published 1st
book in 2010
• Founding Partner at Digital Always Media
@aknecht

4. About Us
Adam Proehl • In Digital Marketing since 1998
• Specialize in complex & multi-channel
sales
• Principle at NordicClick Interactive – a
Digital Marketing Agency based in
Minneapolis
• Instructor at the Online Marketing
Institute & University of San Francisco
@adamproehl

5. Why Top 10?
@aknecht @adamproehl

6. Works for Blogs
@aknecht @adamproehl

7. Works for Letterman
@aknecht @adamproehl

8. Got 10 Fingers
@aknecht @adamproehl

9. And……We’re kinda Lazy
@aknecht @adamproehl

10. Q1: What Social Measurement figure do you
see being reported that is TOTAL BS?
……….And Why
@adamproehl
Image Credit: 12160.info

11. Q1: What Social Measurement figure do you
see being reported that is TOTAL BS?
•Number of Followers
•Number of Likes
•Number of Comments
•Number of Posts
•Reach
•Sentiment
@aknecht

12. Social Analytics in Perspective
• Followers/Fans/Likes are to social media
what Hits were to web analytics
@aknecht

13. Social Analytics in Perspective
• Brands that only focus on
Twitter/Pinterest/Instragram follower
counts & Facebook likes are missing the
point of social marketing
• They’re measuring the
wrong thing and wasting
money!
@aknecht

14. State of Social Analytics
• Similar spot as web analytics circa 1999
– Measuring followers, fans, etc.
– Counting likes, shares, etc.
@aknecht

15. @adamproehl
Q2: How can I tell if
people actually give a
crap about our stuff?
Photo Credit: sodahead.com
Token cat photo

16. Consult Journalism 101
@adamproehl
Measurements that Matter

17. Tool:
Shared Count
www.sharedcount.com
Example:
@adamproehl

18. Tool:
Muckrack.com/whoshared
Example:
@adamproehl

19. Topsy.com/links
Example:
@adamproehl

20. Example:
@adamproehl
• Reviews
• Tips
• Suggestions
Fried gator!

21. Are people actually clicking and reading
the link?
Photo Credit: Sodahead
You know, the reason you shared it to begin with?
@adamproehl

22. Free Tool: bitly
bit.ly
@aknecht

23. • Realtime Analytics
• Key Metrics
@aknecht
bitly

24. @aknecht
bitly

25. Q2 – Who Cares?
Measuring Success
• Twitter/G+: Number of RTs or shares per
Tweet/Post
• Blogs:
– Avg Number of comments/post
– Avg number of shares/post
• Pinterest
– Avg Number of comments/post
– Avg number of shares/post
@aknecht

26. Q2 – Who Cares?
Measuring Success
• Facebook: Likes, shares, and comments
on a post
• Instagram:
– Avg Number of comments/post
– Avg number of likes/post
• FourSquare
– Frequency of check ins
– Comments & likes on check ins
@aknecht

27. Q2 – Who Cares?
True Engagement Metrics
Image & Methodology Credit: Avinash Kaushik & Jennifer Lopez (Moz)
• Conversion Rate
• Comments/Replies
• Applause Rate
• Favs/Likes/+
• Amplification Rate
• Shares/RT/Clicks
@adamproehlbit.ly/1hfdfbr

28. @adamproehl
Q3: The C-Level – What are some must
have’s in a social media report?

29. “Treat the C-level the same as you
would an 8 year old: Pretty pictures and
simple numbers”
- Alan K’necht
Q3: The C-Level – What do you report?
@aknecht

30. The C-Suite just like kids:
• They Talk in TLAs
@aknecht

31. The C-Suite just like kids:
• They Talk in TLAs
• CFO
• CMO
• CTO
• ROI
• CPA
• MBO
• Don’t use your SEO acronyms or jargon!
@aknecht

32. C-Level Reporting:
Short Term: Volume, Mood, PR successes &
problems
Long Term: Social’s impact over sales – not
easily attributable
Q3: The C-Level – What do you report?
@aknecht

33. Draw Them A Treasure Map
@aknecht

34. Example:
&
@aknecht

35. Q3: The C-Level – What do you report?
ALWAYS tie back to a company goal
@adamproehl
• What’s public?
• Semi public?
• How is the C-level measured?

36. @aknecht
Q4: What is the measurement/signal that
brands forget to think about?
Impact on retail
(social awareness
at a retail level)

37. @adamproehl
Q4: What is the measurement/signal that
brands forget to think about?
Branded
Keyword
Queries

38. Direct site traffic
………..unless you just get yours by magic
Q4: What is the measurement/signal that
brands forget to think about?
@adamproehl

39. @adamproehl
Q5: What are some useful, AND reliable
tools for measurement?

40. Best Combination of Tools
@adamproehl

41. First, Ask Yourself:
• What am I trying to learn?
• How will this tool help my business?
@adamproehl

42. Also…….
• Where do you need to go with it?
• How fast do you need to get there?
• Do you care how it looks?
@adamproehl

43. @adamproehl
What do you really need?

44. Nothing wrong with top tier
tools
but...
@adamproehl

45. What are you doing
with what you have?
@adamproehl
Token 80’s icon photo

46. What you already have:
Example: Facebook Analytics
@adamproehl

47. Example: YouTube Analytics
• Segmented Stats
• Video Interactions
• Source Data
What you already have:
@adamproehl

48. Pinterest Source
www.pinterest.com/source/URL
Betty Crocker Example
What you already have:
@adamproehl

49. Check Ins (Foursquare & Facebook)
What you already have:
@adamproehl

50. What you already have:
Share Counts
@aknecht

51. Twitter Apps
Tweetdeck
Hootsuite
Crowdboaster
What you already have:
@aknecht

52. Social Mention
www.socialmention.com
Tools: What’s Free
@aknecht

53. Tool: Tweriod,
Followerwonk
Simple: When is
the best time to
tweet to your
followers?
@aknecht
Tools: What’s Free

54. @aknecht
Q6: How can you use social to influence search?

55. @aknecht
Q6: How can you use social to influence search?
6a: (answered with a question)
“Search is highly dependent on one
over riding component, which is
__________________?”

56. Q6: How can you use social to influence search?
…..Some level of awareness
@adamproehl

57. @adamproehl
Q6: How can you use social to influence search?
Example:
What is this?

58. Trademarked
Terms
Trademarked
Terms
Category
Term
Category
Term
@adamproehl

59. Example: Toyota
Q6: How can you use social to influence search?
@aknecht

60. @aknecht
Q6: How can you use social to influence search?
6b:
“What about Links?
Will social help me there?”

61. YES!Great stuff to share
+
The right audience
-----------------------------------------
= Natural links (The best kind)
@aknecht

62. And…..NO!
@adamproehl
Page likes won’t help with the algorithm

63. If no one else cares about
your stuff….
….then don’t expect the
search engines to, either.
Food for Thought
@adamproehl

64. @adamproehl
Understand Causation vs. Correlation
If it rains, you use an umbrella

65. @adamproehl
Understand Causation vs. Correlation
Using an umbrella doesn’t mean it’s raining

66. @aknecht
Q7: Example of a big brand doing it right?

67. @aknecht
Q7: Example of a big brand doing it right?

68. @aknecht
Q7: Example of a big brand doing it right?

69. Their most important tools
@aknecht

70. @aknecht
Q8: Example of a small brand doing it right?

71. @aknecht
Q8: Example of a small brand doing it right?

72. @adamproehl
Q8: Example of a small(er) brand doing it right?
• Pinterest Promotion
• Measured pins
• Crowdsourced a new blend inspiration
• “Real Life Board” at Mall
Credit: Colle+McVoy Agency

73. @adamproehl
Q9: How do I tie sales & revenue back to social
activity?
• How do you value a cocktail party?

74. @adamproehl
Q9: How do I tie sales & revenue back to social
activity?
Sales/Revenue: Low instant gratification signals (usually)
Customer Service High instant gratification signals

75. @adamproehl
Q10: Why can’t I use junior interns to manage
my social media?
…..Seriously

76. • They might have 5K friends on FB
@adamproehl

77. • But haven’t used it for:
– Business Marketing
– Promoting others
– Customer Service
@aknecht

78. A10:
#OUCH!
@aknecht

79. A10:
Alan’s Mayor:
Was it the crack smoking?
Drunken stupor?
or
The intern?
You decide…
@aknecht @adamproehl

80. Bonus: Final Thought
ONE ENTHUSIASTIC unpaid brand
advocate is worth more than 1 million
unengaged followers who never see
your posts
@aknecht @adamproehl
Success measurement might equal no more than one of these

81. Bonus: Final Thought #2
Social Analytics =
The ultimate actionable
data
@aknecht @adamproehl

82. Bonus: Final Thought #3
Social Analytics:
Don’t wait for the dashboard
to take action – you may be
too late!
@aknecht @adamproehl

83. Thank You
Alan K’necht
alan@digitalalwaysmedia.com
@aknecht
Adam Proehl
adam@digitalalwaysmedia.com
@adamproehl