People are hopping online by the millions. Tweeting, blogging, Facebooking, Placing, throwing FourSquare balls, catching Plurks and bizniks.
Regardless of if you stand on the social media conversation, relationship, ROI, content, or brand awareness fruit box you are doing it for a reason.
Why are you investing in social media? Why are you tweeting? Why do you have a facebook page? Why are you staying up until wee hours of the morning writing content, engaging and connecting with folks online?
Hopefully you aren't doing it "just because". Hopefully you are engaging authentically because you enjoy connecting with real people. Most important I hope you have aligned your efforts with specific business objectives and have a plan to measure success and ROI.
I state boldly that social media is not just about numbers. However, I am not stating numbers don't matter. Numbers do matter.
Granny Walton stopped by again and has a few words to share on social media numbers.
Granny Walton Says: "Give it Up! 30 Reasons Social Media ROI Matters!"
1. I read online today there is such a thang called Social Media Listening. Sounds like something you should do! Shut yer yapper once in awhile and listen!
2. ROI is not your cousin Roy. His name has a "Y", not an "I"! Big difference.
3. ROI means return on investment. If ya' don't know what it means take a lesson from aunt Florence. She sat for 342 days straight at that saloon on main street waitin' for a man. Big ol' waste of time as nobody ever came a courtin'. Only thang it got her was the nick name Floozy Florence.
4. Measure, measure, measure. Social media measurement is kinda like catfish, the more ya' got the better it is, and the longer it lasts! Nothin' put a bigger smile on yer pa's face than to bring home a big ol' stringer of catfish!
5. Uncle Bernie finally admitted after 25 yrs workin' at the paper that numbers matter. Even after all those yrs he said he wrote because he loved it. It wasn't until he lost a finger in that ol' typewriter that he admitted he loved to see his name on the Mayberry Gazette everyday.
6. Uncle Bernie even had a secret system and process that tracked every time his name had been mentioned in that there paper. Oooh...but he didn't count numbers. Now that's funny.
7. If ya' don't care if nobody is on the other end then just get yourself a string and a can and give the other end to our spotted cow, Earl. Might help him with some of that gas he's had lately.
8. Ya' want someone to talk to! The numbers increase your odds of that happening. Otherwise it's kinda like your aunt Ethel. She has a body and head but nobody is really home. Ya' can talk but ya' know it's just goin' in one ear and out the other.
9. Why do ya' waste half your life away Tweetin, Facebookin' and throwing FourSquare balls if ya' don't care if anybody listens to what ya' got to say?
10. If numbers don't matter then why does your Twitter profile track followers, friends and lists? I know you check your HootSuite or TweetDeck mentions column 250 times a day. Just admit it, why don't ya!?
11. If numbers don't matter why is everyone in Mayberry tryin' to get themselves Mayor badges on Foursquare? Gracie's Ice cream gives away free stuff every day if ya' check in. Her numbers are lookin' real good I heard!
12. If numbers don't matter then why did they bust out the tires of Gertrude's truck just so Walt could get the Mayor Badge for the deli? They had been runnin' a close race for weeks! Have to admit I was kinda glad they got ol' Gertrude as rumor around Mayberry is he cheated!
13. If yer not worrying about the ROI and numbers, ya' should be. Take a look at yer cousin Rex. He's been countin' on a layoff package from that Fortune 500 company fer 2 years. He's turned into a lazy fool sittin' around in nothing but that ol' ugly robe on worthless conference calls all day. He needs to get a life.
14. Seein' a page of retweets feels good, no matter what ya' say ya' know it does! It's kinda like if ya were to walk in to the senior center to find a big surprise party all in yer name! Ya' know my birthday is next month, just in case you want to call Louise at the center.
15. Today I know ya' all use the word narcissist. To put it in plain english, social media feeds yer ego like a spring pig with a full trough of slop!
16. Why do ya' tweet? Tell me why? If you're lonely I got lots ya' can do at the senior community center. If ya' wanna sell something, that is great. Just admit it why don't ya!
17. If ya' can't answer question #16 above, then why do ya' got a twitter account anyway?
18. Business and numbers have always meant money. Don't ya' remember uncle Al when he use to count that truck of apples? He also said numbers didn't matter but he knew if even five of those apples fell off that there truck!
19. If you want to increase your numbers then ya gotta a) admit ya' want the higher numbers b) make a plan to get higher numbers and c) work yer plan.
20. Number 19 above is like I told ya' last time with social media overall... plan yer work and work yer plan. It ain't that hard. Don't be a dummy!
21. If you never follow people back, tell me why ya' do that? Are ya' arrogant? Lazy? Ignorant? Or just plain rude? If you're just not payin' attention then no biggie. But... if you're doin' it to look cool, trust me that isn't going to help ya' honey.
22. It is in our human blood to want numbers. We want more steak, more potatoes, more candles, more grits, more horses, more friends, more fans, more likes and yes more Twitter followers!
23. If numbers don't matter than why are there thousands of measurin' tools and blog posts talkin' about it?
24. My guess is that the same people who say numbers don't matter are the same people that don't know how to engage and communicate. They're afraid to count the numbers. Same as all the fellers that use to go stag to the hoe down. They were afraid to ask someone out. Wimps.
25. For how broke everyone complains to be with the current economy, ya' would think one would want to spend time wisely. To me it's common sense to count the return on how ya' spend yer time. Not rocket science.
26. I am not sayin' that only numbers matter. It's gotta be quality as a top priority in life. It's kinda like Betty's Bakery havin' the best cupcakes in town. It's not about how fast she dishes them out but how good they taste. Those Twitter twits could learn some things from Betty as she's got quality, community, followers and numbers. I heard people follow her blocks on main street when she's hand deliverin' a pan full of them cupcakes! Let's go get some now!
27. Yes, ya' gotta give to receive. However, ya' still need to measure how much ya' give and get or else you'll be more than outta luck! You'll wind up like yer wild Aunt Lucy who gave away everything she had in Vegas tryin to win the heart of a man. Wound up with nothin, and I mean nothin!
28. Social Media and measurement should go together like Laverne and Shirley, Blackeyed Peas and Cornbread or your papa and that TV remote. It's a fact. The smart ones will learn it real quick.
29. My favorite word is still integration. All the crazy social media peepers need to learn how to integrate business with social media and then they'll have something to measure and brag to their boss about regardin' ROI!
30. I wish Tweeters would start measurin' the ROI on all those wasted DMs. I bet if they did they might quit sendin' so many. What a blessin' that would be!
31. I do care about numbers. I decided since I got so many good ideas on social media it's time for me to engage. Won't ya' please be my twit follower on Twitter and Like me on Facebook!? Just ask that ya' be nice please. If I ticked ya' off tell me, but remember I am pretty old and a bit fragile on the inside and outside.
*Yes I know there are 31 items here but I only count 30 tips. 31 is not really a tip so I didn't want to count. A promotion to push ya' to my Tweets isn't really a tip, heh? But I figure after giving you 30 good tips that you can use to make yerself better today, it doesn't break too many social savvy best practice rules!