Understanding the value of Return on Relationship (ROR) is crucial when it comes to measuring social ROI. This encompasses organic engagement, community management, sentiment monitoring, and various other factors… as well as judgment with regard to the emotional factor..
The crux of the matter is the creation of value. How do your social media efforts generate value for your brand and audience, thereby influencing your brand’s image? What encourages viewers to repeatedly engage with your social channels or any other platforms you’re targeting (matchingmaking with)?
Social marketing is not just about driving traffic; it’s about attracting the right traffic. The focus has shifted from amassing likes to building a highly targeted fan base—emphasizing quality over quantity. Measuring Return on Relationship is complex as it involves analyzing connection growth and gauging consumers’ sentiment toward your brand. This encompasses measuring organic content sharing rates and channel return rates.
Always remember that ROR enhances and adds to ROI. Why? While ROI is limited to a specific timeframe or is income-related, ROR has a “halo” effect. For instance, two projects might yield the same ROI, but the one executed with better relationship management brings the added benefit of satisfied customers and/or long-term relationships.
When it comes to social campaigns, there are typically two types of success or ROI to consider:
- Cost mitigation
- Sales increase
In terms of cost mitigation, success can be measured by generating more impressions than traditional media for the same spend or generating the same impressions for significantly less money. This is essentially a CPM play, beneficial for brands with large marketing budgets and those prioritizing brand awareness.
Regarding sales increase, a valuable method for defining the ROI of Social is measuring annualized customer value. Regularly engaging with a brand’s content typically results in a more valuable customer, leading to increased spending, frequency of purchase, and long-term loyalty.
There’s a Return on Relationship stemming from all brand-relevant content and communication, reflecting the value gained through nurturing relationships. Whereas ROI is purely financial, ROR encompasses the perceived and real value accrued over time through connection, trust, loyalty, recommendations, and sharing. A well-balanced approach is crucial. By combining consumer, expert, and influencer-generated content with engagement and amplified online syndication, a structured social environment shouild yield improved results. Engagement and connection can lead to lasting search engine optimization results, increased online share of voice, and enhanced brand awareness, loyalty, and sales.
Relationships are like muscle tissue, the more you engage them, the stronger and more valuable they become.