The question of measuring your social media marketing return in exchange for time can be a tricky one. Can you really say whether a certain customer came to you because of a particular social media post, or is it a result of several different marketing activities? When used strategically, social media can help market your business, but you must put some type of measurement on your return. It’s much more than just having a social media presence; just having a presence is not your objective. To track your results, you must find a way to track whether the people you are engaging with on social media are turning into warm leads and, eventually, customers.

All social media sites limit the kind of analytical data you can pull from them. Facebook and LinkedIn both have “insight,” Twitter and YouTube have “analytics.”

In each case, the data is helpful to give you demographics and the level of engagement you are achieving. But you’ll SEE the results with quick follow up when your posts and connections are strategically placed. This is why it’s so important to use social media as a tool for driving people back to your website. Your website is the only place online where you have 100% control over how your brand and expertise is showcased. It is also the place where you can gather the greatest degree of information about your market.
 
Great content is the secret to keeping fans. You must have plenty of content on your website including helpful tips, expert strategies and the answers to the questions many of your prospects are seeking. You must teach instead of making it a sales pitch,
especially on your home page. Let followers get to know you first. Your follow-up emails and ongoing marketing will begin to sell them on you over time.