Are we coming full circle, and finding that, though we hadn’t been able to measure it before, social does have value for our business?

Start with the village general store, where the owner and the staff had time to talk, and in the conversation learnt about the customer’s needs. Then step forward to the industrial revolution, when efficiency and scale were the driving principles, and anything that couldn’t be measured was assumed to be worth-less. Step forward again and we have organisations, large and small, investing in social, and finding they are able to measure the benefit.

So how do you measure it?

To answer this Olivier Blanchard, in his insightful book: “Social Media ROI“, starts by asking: “What do you want to achieve with social media?” To begin addressing this, it’s necessary to visit the business strategys, tactics, goals and targets.

This is where you find what it is you want to measure, and from there, it’s possible to define the specific goals and targets you want social media to support.

It’s a great read, and indispensable for anyone proposing a social media programme to decision makers who don’t yet recognise its value.