Social Media Metrics

Measuring Social Media has become quite the task since Social Media Marketing has begun to pick up speed and popularity. It generally isn't an easy task to measure, as numbers of friends, likes, followers, etc. can be misleading. So how can we prove that Social Media Marketing is doing it's job?

Page Size Matters- On Facebook
This article is mainly about what it takes to have a successful Facebook marketing strategy and how different approaches are what make the measurements. Its not about likes, and its not about friends... Its about clicks that are derived through comments, sharing, feeds and direct interactions. It showed that the average clicks per like were 3.103; clicks per comment were 14.678; and clicks per impression 0.005. What does it mean? Direct interaction through comments was where the most successful marketing was happening. It also suggests smaller pages with specific target audiences. So a larger company should have different Facebook accounts and groups for the different audiences it is trying to reach. (This definitely ties in with my previous blog post about The Walt Disney World Company). However larger pages can work if they have hybridized feeds through other forms of social media.

Social marketing gets much lip service, little deployment

This article focuses on how most marketers are novices and have not truly capitalized on the social marketing and all it has to offer. Through a number of surveys conducted by B2B the pitfalls of social media marketing and understanding of the marketing outlet were highlighted. One thing is only 1/3 of companies are aware that people are using social media to comment on or complain about their services or product. Only 8% of companies are regularly responding to such comments and complaints through social media, which means many companies are just letting it hang out in cyberspace unaddressed for everyone to see. Only 8% of companies are actually utilizing social media marketing to its real potential despite the 65% that claim social media marketing is important to their company. Some could even say Social Media Marketing is treated more like a hobby than a necessity. Poor usage has even been attributed to:  lack of resources (70%), poorly defined metrics (57%), lack of knowledge (44%) and management resistance (22%). So what does it all boil down to? Lack of understanding and proper usage of this marketing medium.

Measuring Social Media ROI: 3 Things to Consider
 This article breaks down Social Media Marketing Metrics in a different perspective. Firstly it states Social Media Marketing is the vehicle not the destination. What that means is that this type of marketing should be used to help market a business, not become the business. So it needs to be controlled and not become a be all and end all. It is essential to ask how a social media marketing plan is engaging customer and what activities have high rates of interaction with the customers. It is also that the company use the metrics to adjust their marketing efforts based on previous performance and current performance. Social media is constantly changing and constantly needs modification and care. This article also states that diversification is key. Having only one or a specific type of outlet can cut out potential and current customers who use other outlets. So measurements and goals need to be set and adjusted in an ongoing fashion to stay relevant.

My Take...
So what all of this says to me is that measuring social media marketing is tricky business and is more involved than people might assume. It involves constant evolution and change to remain relevant and to develop new strategies to reach customers in ways that is comfortable to them. Social media marketing should be treated as any other marketing campaign and be measured in comparison to other mediums in order to see what is most effective, and tailor a companies mediums to reach their customers where they are and how they wish to be reached.

Disney: Social Media Marketing

The Walt Disney World Company has many avenues of social media. Multiple accounts on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Youtube, Blogs and their own exclusive social media outlets such as D23 and Disney Insider.

Disney Facebook

Disney has quite the presence on Facebook. Different departments and entities of Disney have their own Facebook pages in order to reach their followers/customers. Just to list a few: Disney, Walt Disney World, Disney Pixar, Disney Store, Disney Baby, Disney Channel, Disney Mobile and Radio Disney. In fact this is the tactic that most of their social media usage seems to follow. By diversifying their Facebook presence, Disney is able to reach multiple customers and followers on different levels. The level of interaction is also diversified based on which Facebook the follower is following. So the user gets to choose what type of updates they want to see. Disney has between 100,000 and 29,000,000 likes depending on what specific Disney Facebook they are following.

Disney Twitter

Disney also has the same approach with Twitter. With multiple feeds and reaching followers with specific tweets dependent on the needs and wishes of the follower. The different feeds on Twitter include: Disney, Walt Disney World, Disney D23, Radio Disney, DisneyParks, Disney Pixar, Disney Store and Touring Plans. Each of Disney's Twitter accounts has between 2000 and 2,000,000 followers depending on the channel. Twitter even has a twitter feed for Disney D23, which is an exclusive club within Disney that offers discounts and special events for members. We will look more into D23 later on.

Disney LinkedIn

Disney's presence on LinkedIn is again, diversified by the group it is geared towards. This includes: The Walt Disney Company, Walt Disney World, ESPN, ABC News, Disney Pixar, Disney Store and Disney Imagineering. With Employees LinkedIn ranging from hundreds to thousands, and with followers holding similar numbers, people are still showing not only wish to work for Disney, but even what department or subsidiary.

Disney Youtube

Disney also has a similar presence on Youtube with the same diversity in reaching it's audience. Disney has Youtube Channels for : Disney, Disney Parks, Radio Disney, Disney Store and Disney Pixar just to name a few. The number of views range between 2000 Channel Views and 3,000,000 Channel Views.

Disney Insider: Blogs

Disney also has it's own system of information on it's website including blogs that also focus on specific audiences. The Blogs Disney offers are: Disney Parks, Disney Insider, What's Hap-pin-ing, Vinylmation, Walt Disney Family Museum and Movie News. Most of the blogs are linked to other Disney social media outlets.

D23

D23 is Disney's exclusive club where users have to pay for membership. However, in this case you get what you pay for. From magazines, special membership gifts, exclusive merchandise, special events, exclusive web-access and exclusive e-newsletters there is a lot to gain from being part of D23. It costs $34.99 for a silver membership, and $74.99 for a gold membership. It is well worth the money if you are a true Disney fan.

Twitter

Twitter is a Social Media giant at the current time, and its real time premise is definitely the main draw for many Twitter users.

(A Link to My Twitter)

My Top 3 Organizations on Twitter (That I am currently following)

1. The Disney Store -- Connecting with customers on multiple levels is the Disney way of customer care. The Disney Store's Twitter definitely gets the win on this one. From advertising, special Twitter deals, customer interaction and even standard customer service all on the Disney Store's Twitter. Customer questions are answered or redirected to the appropriate party, and even the Disney Store President is copied on customer service related tweets. Disney is known for customer service and customer interaction. It is no wonder that even their Twitter is geared to the customer. (30796 Followers as of 11/7/2011).

2. Gaia Online -- Gaia Online's Twitter is geared towards updating the follower on new items available in the shops on Gaia Online, advertising special events, and seeking customer feedback. Gaia is consistent with their Twitter updates and seeking follower feedback. One thing Gaia's Twitter does that is very alluring to Gaia Online members is the interactivity and connectivity with the staff and developers of Gaia Online. One other big bonus from Gaia Online is that they try to follow their followers, and do so for a greater percentage of their followers than The Disney Store and CSU.  (14,807 Followers as of 11/7/2011)

3. Cleveland State University -- The biggest issue with CSU's usage of twitter is there are so many 'alternate' CSU Twitter accounts. Strangely enough if you look for Cleveland State University on Twitter, their actual twitter account is not the one that pops up. In fact the twitter user has to search CSU's official Twitter out, which is most easily done from the college's website.  Once CSU's Twitter page can be located there is a significant amount of current and relevant tweets for the follower. However, there are only 542 followers (As of 11/7/2011) of the official CSU Twitter account. The Unofficial CSU Twitter account has 1036 Followers (As of 11/7/2011). Hmmm. So much for engaging students. If they aren't following, then how can the Twitter even be a relevant outlet?

5 Effective Use of Twitter Should include the following guidelines:

1. Post Regularly.
2. Relevant Material
3. Interact with your Customers/Followers
4. Follow your Followers
5. Keep Tweets Professional and to the Point

Twitter is better suited for some organizations over others. Organizations that are trying to reach a vast number of customers and have consistent and time oriented information releases would benefit from using Twitter. Groups that do not have consistent and time oriented updates would not be able to use Twitter to it's fullest and would benefit greater from other Social Networking websites that aren't nearly as real time/instant oriented.

Other Social Networking Platforms

Vampirefreaks.com -- Vampirefreaks is a social networking site for those who are into the Goth/Emo/Vampire lifestyles and music. There are profiles, groups, photo albums, journals and rating systems. There is even a way for paid users to temporarily ban people from the site who break the rules. Paid users get some extra perks, but the majority of perks go to any members, it is just levels of frequency and amount are more regulated for free accounts. Free customers are also subject to viewing ads, but where this website excels in marketing is for music and Goth/Emo/Vampire related wares with groups/cults and advertisements.

Gaiaonline.com -- Gaia Online is a social networking site for those who are fans of anime and/or role playing. On this site users can have forums, guilds/groups, a journal, a profile, a friendslist, and a customizable avatar. Users earn gold for posting and interacting with others and can also  exclusive virtual items with real cash. Gaia offers advertising for companies on the sidebar of the website. They also allow users to build groups or guilds in regards to specific products or services. Some companies even get to have exclusive Gaia events for Gaia users to participate in. It is definitely a marketing opportunity.

Photobucket.com -- Photobucket is a photo and video sharing Social Network geared towards photo and video sharing, editing and storage. It offers tools for editing, an unlimited amount of uploads and various quick ways to add your images and videos to websites, blogs, emails and chat forums. Photobucket can be used as a marketing outlet in two ways: advertisements on the sidebar, and companies/organizations being able to make albums dedicated to their services and wares and then sharing them with others.