Every company, every marketer often dwells on the ROI for social media, and there’s a popular misconception that relevant metrics are lacking. While it’s true that standard metrics are evolving, there are many ways to measure the impact of social media on a company’s marketing performance.

When looking at the value of social media tools like Twitter, we need to realize the real value isn’t the tool itself; it is the information the tool has to offer.

Many marketers stepping up to embrace social media are bringing their old “push strategy” skills to a new “customer pull” reality, making a critical miscalculation. The social media phenomenon is not just a new set of communications vehicles for your company to broadcast its value proposition and messaging to a target market. It is about customers wanting and needing relevant information to make better decisions and to share with others. Over the years they have become jaded by the packaging and spin that typifies most marketing and advertising campaigns.

More than eight out of 10 North American and European enterprise IT decision makers said word-of-mouth recommendations or testimonials are the most important sources when making buying decisions. Obtaining these recommendations and testimonials becomes easier when B2B social media practices are put into place—turning your customers into brand advocates.

Step one: Before you start, establish clear business objectives and metrics.

What surprises me is how many blogs and podcasts or even Facebook groups and Twitter sites are started as an executive pet project. That may relieve some pressure to demonstrate ROI, but as a marketer responsible for social media initiatives, you should never move off the starting mark without clear and measureable business goals.

Companies are still finding many reasons for not engaging in social media or taking it seriously. For those firms, I have one word: TwitStorm.

For Maples Communications, it is an honor to be called a wingman. We want to “check your six”-the six o’clock position where the jet is most vulnerable, the pilot’s blind spot.

If traditional media is correct, and social media does not have any real value or is at least being overestimated, then what is the answer? Because it is not traditional media in its current form.

A few days ago, a friend sent me the “Social Media Revolution” link from YouTube knowing that I believe the traditional media model for companies to communicate to customers is broken.    We are in the middle of a revolution.  The tools may change over time, but social media is here to stay.   
You and I both [...]

For those companies still refraining from jumping into social media for a variety of excuses, there is one more reason to consider getting into the fray: there may soon be no other way to effectively market your firm.