Measuring Social Media

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This one is for every marketer who is struggling with how to measure their social media projects. I suspect that includes most of us.

Chris Brogan’s Sept 1st blog 10 Communications Objectives of Social Media lists ten objectives for social media projects proposed by Douglas Walker on his blog. Chris has invited his readers to comment on whether this is THE list or if there are some objectives that have been overlooked.

As usual, Chris’s readers have some great comments on which items are most important to them, and which ones have been left out. I encourage you to read through these for some additional ideas on how to measure your social media projects.

However, I think the real value in the list is found on Douglas Walker’s original post, A Draft Social Media Metrics Model. To me, it’s not important whether this is the definitive list. These are all possible objectives. What is usually missing in social media plans is a way to measure whether you are reaching your objectives.

On Walker’s original post each of these objectives has several possible measurements associated with it. For example, one objective “Influence the Influencers” has the following metrics associated: Positive/relevant blogs or media, incoming links, trackbacks, technorati (or similar) rankings.

Measuring social media is crucial, especially if your social media program is under constant surveillance by skeptics within your organization. If you can’t measure your projects, it’s hard to justify them for long.

Best Practices = Mediocrity

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Long time, no “see.” I start a new position in a new company on Monday and I have been taking a little extra time off to these last couple of weeks to enjoy what’s left of the summer.

Today’s Dilbert (Sept 3rd) was especially insightful. The boss says that they will be adopting “best practices” just like everyone else in the industry. Dilbert makes the observation that is everyone else is doing it then it’s the same as “mediocrity.”

That one made me sit back and think. Everyone in IT always talks about “best practices.” You hear it in everything from software development, support, implementation and even sales and marketing. And, certainly, there are some very good practices out there. But, are they the “best”?


To assume that something is a “best practice” means that nothing is going to get any better. That takes all the fun out of it and removes the opportunity for innovation.

I like the approach that practitioners of Lean Manufacturing take. (Note: Lean as a practice has gone far beyind manufacturing in the last several years, with all departments and many different industries deploying it)

One of the main philosophies within lean is to aim for "kaizen" or continuous improvement. For example, if between manufacturing runs your change over takes three minutes, how can you get it to two? Once you get to two, what changes can you make to get it down to one? How about less than one minute?

On and on it goes as the everyone in the organization looks for ways they can improve whatever it is that they are doing in pursuit of the company’s goals. It’s not the pursuit of perfection or a “best practice” but the pursuit of improvement and a "better" practice that matters.

Same with marketing. For example, in your industry, direct mail response rates may be 2%, but how can you get them to 3%? How about 4%? If you can’t, are there ways you could be spending your marketing dollar more effectively?

You don’t have to make all changes at once, but continually asking, “Is this the best we can do?” and making small changes will allow you to continue to improve. And, to me, that’s what makes it all worthwhile.