Social Networks Part 3: Qualitative ROI

October 2, 2008 by Mary Wynne-Wynter 

Return on Natural Influence - RO(n)L

Return on Natural Influence - RO(n)L

In previous posts I’ve talked about Social Networks: The Pre-requisites, a model for Social Network Community Segmentation, and also Integrating Social Media and Networks (using RedShift as a case study).

Clients, of course, want to understand the ROI, in quantitative metrics, of their investment in social media and networks. That’s understandably important to them.

But its helpful to first understand ROI from a qualitative perspective to ensure that there’s a success path that makes sense and that can be simply and effectively communicated to gain support and participation. If you can’t do that, you could go the wrong way and reach a dead end when you try to quantify the return on your social network investments.

Its important to understand that the link between your investment and the quantifiable return is “indirect”. You need a map to get from one to another.

Three major roads on the RO(n)I map are:

  • Social Capital: shared information, support and strengthened ties that facilitate business actions and inter-actions.
  • Brand Awareness: the cumulative trust-building effect of proving the brand promise, demonstrating the brand message and building the personal/business reputation.
  • Sense Response: unique individual and collective skills and abilities that result from practicing a new way of listening and interacting so that you respond to change before it happens and unmet needs before they’re expressed.

The map may have different signs and paths, depending on your specific business and industry. But having one is critical to avoid getting lost in a failed social network initiative.

Filed under: Natural influence, emergence, global microbrand, personal brand, qualitative research, social capital, social media, social networks, tribal wisdom
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