Social Media ROI … Oversimplification is a “measurement menace.”

Measurement Advisor LogoMeasurement authority Katie Paine has a take no prisoners series on measurement menaces.

Her current installment calls out companies that create simplistic indexes, such as Social Chorus and their earned media value index that automatically calculates the dollar value of earned media impressions.

Katie writes:

The notion that measurement can be based on an automatically derived index is ludicrous — let alone putting a summary dollar value on it. These trumped-up “metrics” are social media snake oil. Firms [offering these types of metrics] seduce naïve marketers into putting fake numbers on their social media efforts. These bogus metrics then get passed up the food chain as if they were real measurement.

Not only will such “menacing” numbers be seen for what they are and rejected by the C-suite, they “perpetuate the notion that social media is valuable only because it’s a cheap way to get your messages out. Social media — and PR in general — has far more valuable applications. The most dramatic social media ROI numbers come from organizations that use social media for so much more than broadcasting messages, like customer service, product research, and solving problems.” Yes, she’s for turning your social media goals upside down.

How to Gain Strategic Advantage from Digital Metrics

Assn Adviser LogoAssociation Advisor recently published my article as captioned above. Read it here.

Join me at SAS 2014 Workshop – Insider’s Guide to Social Media Workshop

Please join me in New York at the Sentiment Analysis Symposium Customer Insight Analytics Workshop on March 5 where I will be presenting “The Insider’s Guide to Social Media Measurement”

My morning workshop will explore the world of “humetrics” — the big shift from our industry’s age-old preoccupation with media measurement to understanding people by gauging and interpreting their digital lives. I’ll be sharing my “Digital Metrics Field Guide” to help you recognize data points not merely as impersonal dots on a trend line, percentage changes, or ratios. They are, in fact, personal — capturing what people say, do and feel in real time. Once we view digital metrics as reflecting individuals, they become characters we employ to craft compelling narratives about people and brands that we later share with our colleagues in and outside of our areas. Those narratives fortify brands with a common understanding that increases the potential to act in the best interests of customers and prospects, and to create and execute successful marketing strategies.

The Insider’s Guide to Social Media Measurement will have four sections:

  1. introduction and overview of social media measurement
  2. case studies illustrating the use of social media measures (with audience participation and comments)
  3. hands-on workshop. We will present three typical business scenarios and have the attendees work through them, including developing an analytic strategy, measurement plan, etc.
  4. wrap-up and final Q&A

I will also be joined in presenting the workshop by Vincent Santino, Associate Director of Digital Insights & Analytics at Kaplan Test Prep.

After the workshop, continue to learn from other leaders in the industry, including Amazon, American Express, Huffington Post, IBM and more at the symposium on March 6. To learn more, please visit  http://www.sentimentsymposium.com/workshops.html and use the codeFOAF to save 10% if you register before January 25.