How will we measure it? Social media vs. advertising

A side-by-side comparison reveals more gaps than overlap

Measurement. ROI. Impressions. These are words that normally sound like sweet melodies to a marketer’s ears. However, when we’re using them in the context of social media, that sweet melody can quickly mutate into the sound created by a bad “American Idol” audition.

Implementing social media is one thing, but how are you going to measure it? And more important, how are you going to demonstrate its value to your clients?

Although social media is often categorized as a marketing function, it’s important to communicate the differences between social media and traditional paid advertising to your clients before engaging, in order to properly set the standard for measurement.

When I explain the benefits of social media to my clients, I try to help them understand how to think beyond traditional measurement. I often provide a side-by-side comparison of social media vs. advertising.

Here’s how they differ:

Engagement vs. impressions