Metrics and Measures for Social Media

Why measure?

Reporting results is nothing new, evaluation is an element essential in showing progress and determining adjustments during implementation. Funding organizations and agencies want to see that your strategies and tactics are effective and that their investment is ensuring coalition success.

But as social media take a more defining role in our communication strategy, determining whether specific tools or channels are working and how well, creates new challenges. Gone are the days when we could simply measure "hits" or "page views" to our website and report success. Today we must look at quantative data in conjunction with engagement--a much more qualitative measure.

Some of the same conditions persist for social media measurement as do for evaluating traditional media. Media rarely changes behavior. It indicates contribution, not attribution, and is affected by many outside forces. Additionaly, ever-changing social media tools work to accomplish and measure different things and will tell how your comprehensive tactics are working. No single tool or source tells all, so you will need to consider more than one.

Begin with your coalition GOAL as your ultimate destination (outcome) and your OBJECTIVES as your primary guide. Let your intervention actions (STRATEGIES) provide the immediate guidance for choosing which social media tools fit best. Once you’ve selected your social media strategy and tool, select indicators that will tell you how social media contributes to helping you get the changes you aim for in your community.

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Remember...

• Ground your social media strategies and actions in your community coalitions plan and communications plan;
• Focus on nurturing and growing relationships among coalition members and with community members; and
• Develop capacity by engaging people at every opportunity