An Alternative Approach to Measuring Social Media ROI

To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.
~ ralph waldo emerson

It seems that the holy grail of the moment is the measurement of the success of a social media campaign. With the explosion of Twitter, Facebook and the countless other social networks that are suddenly in the spotlight, everyone and their mother is attempting to find a way to capitalize.  Social media marketing “experts” are appearing on every corner, so much so that genuine authorities in the field with legitimate experience and knowledge are becoming victims of the backlash. Businesses of all shapes and sizes are clamoring for a spot on the social media landscape, opening accounts and buying domain names at a furious pace and then trying to figure out how to use them and who to outsource to or purchase training from. At the front of the online gold rush are those that are desperately seeking software and other tools for some manner of measuring the return on investment that can or cannot be gained by those that choose to use the new media as a primary marketing method.

As a freelance designer, I have to admit that in my own way I have followed suit. Back in March of this year I caved and I made the time to finally do what I had been doing for my own clients. I opened accounts for bkmacdaddy designs on Twitter, Facebook, Digg, Delicious, LinkedIn and Flickr. My initial reasoning was for search engine optimization – to create multiple links back to this website. But it wasn’t long before I got caught up in the temptation of attempting to amass the most friends on Facebook, the most followers on Twitter and so on. It’s easy to do. Most anyone who opens a social media account has some moment where they are watching the numbers. There is a sense of validation and accomplishment when milestones are reached, when “friends” or “followers” are added, and when networks are expanded. One can’t help thinking, “They like me! They really like me!”

Now move from a personal sense of satisfaction achieved by numerical increase into the professional arena. What if, by increasing the numbers in my network, my organization can increase income? The possibility has engraved dollar signs on the eyes of the multitudes.

I can say without a shadow of a doubt that this has been the case for me. Let me share some basic statistics with you. Since opening my account on Twitter, I have seen my follower count grow to over 4,600 at the time of this writing. Here are some measurable statistics that I have accumulated during that time:

» pageviews at bkmacdaddy.com have increased to the tune of 660%
» 40% of the visitors came directly from Twitter.com (according to Google Analytics)
» active clients at bkmacdaddy designs have increased by30% (directly attributed to social media)

The obvious conclusion is that income has also increased.

So even with these very limited, basic statistics it is clear that the return on my relatively minimal investment of time and energy in social media has resulted in a profit. It’s enough to make anyone stop reading this blog post right now and go tweet crazy!

But I began thinking again recently about the true measure of success. It is a concept I have explored many times in various contexts, and one that is of vital importance to me in my journey through life.

Success is defined as a favorable result or outcome, which bids the question: what is the most favorable outcome I can imagine?

For a business, a favorable outcome is typically a sustainable profit. Numbers can naturally become the basis of all measurements.

But what about for me, as a freelance designer? Yes, it is important that my design business generates enough income to provide for my family and our needs. But is that truly the most favorable outcome I can pursue?

Call me crazy, but I have never entertained dreams of being rich. What I DO dream about are these things:

» spending the rest of my life in an ever-growing, deeply passionate relationship with my wife and best friend (we have 20 years so far!)

» raising all 3 of my kids to live fulfilling lives that make a positive impact on those around them

» expressing myself creatively through art – specifically writing, design, and music

» engaging with the world around me and doing everything I can to be a part of making it better

» living as a life-long student that never tires of learning and growing and improving

» giving selflessly to others in a way that encourages and inspires them to do the same

So with these things in mind as the definition of success I am pursuing, rather than statistics and numbers, how can I measure the return on my investment in social media?

There is no arguing the fact that a solid income contributes to enabling the pursuit of each aforementioned item. But moving beyond the obvious, how has my involvement in social media contributed toward what I define as success?

I believe it has. Here’s why:

» I have been able to assist several people with web design questions and problems. The joy of helping others without expecting anything in return is one of the most liberating and satisfying experiences I know. And it’s contagious. It’s ‘viral’.

» I have learned more through the resources and information that is shared and exchanged than anywhere else outside of educational institutions. The rate of increase in my learning has skyrocketed!

» In many ways I am an introvert. But social media has given me a vehicle to engage with others in ways that shatter the walls of my limitations and allow me to be a positive impact in their daily lives.

» I am growing as an artist, a designer, a person. Broadening my experiences and exposure. Strengthening my skills. I am becoming more than I was before in ways that I may not have otherwise.

» All of these things make me a better person, which in turn makes me a better husband and a better father.

What if we stopped trying to measure everything by numbers? What if people were actually just human beings and not targets or statistics? What if success really ISN’T achieved by being the one who dies with the most toys or the thickest wallet?

Over time I’ve come to believe that success on a daily basis for me is defined as this: when I can lay my head on the pillow at the end of the day knowing that I gave my all to those I love and anyone else that crossed my path, I was honest in every endeavor, and I did my best work with the purest passion.

How do you define success? Are you investing in social media as one of the ways you pursue your success? How are you measuring it? I would love to hear your story…