One of the most frequent questions we get from clients and potential clients is “How can I tell if social media is working for me?“. It’s a great question, especially since return on any marketing investment can be tough to track. Consider the marketing budget that goes towards an outdoor billboard: how do you know exactly how great your return on that investment is?

While tracking social media return may be difficult in some ways, there are some solid measures you can use to see if your platforms are working for you. Here are some of the ways you can see if social media is working for you.

1. Consistency If your social media presence is consistent, that’s a measure of success all its own. It means you look professional, organized and thoughtful to anyone who finds your platform.

2. Engagement Having or buying tons of followers doesn’t do you one bit of good if those same people do not engage with your page. For instance, if a person likes your Facebook page and then never returns because they don’t find your content engaging, it’s unlikely their “like” will ever convert to a sale. Be sure to keep track of whether others are engaging with you on social media.

3. Web traffic If you don’t see much engagement but you are getting users who click through to your website, this can be a great indicator of social’s power. Some businesses, like medical or pest control services, don’t get high engagement on social media because users may find it too personal to engage with these businesses where their friends and family can see. However, if users take the time to click through to your website to learn more it means that social media is driving people to learn more about your business and possibly convert to sales.

4. Increased Sales Many businesses see an increase in sales for the specific products or services they post about on social media. While these sales may happen in person or online, an increase in sales is always a great measure of success.

5. Referrals Some of our clients get regular referrals due to their social media presence. While someone who follows you online may not currently need your service or product at the moment, they may know someone who does. Being top of when someone voices a need for your services makes you much more likely to get a referral. Regular social media posts can help keep you top of mind whenever these types of conversations may occur.

6. Word of Mouth Some of our clients frequently have customers tell them “I love your posts on Facebook” or “I came here because I follow you on Twitter”. These word of mouth statements can’t be discounted. Many businesses have social media “lurkers” who are following along but don’t always use social media to engage. While they may be converting to sales and singing your praises to their friends, you may never know it until they tell you in person. Honestly, these face to face interactions can be some of the most fun ways to learn that social media is working for you.

If your business is currently on social media, how do you measure success?