Return on Investment (ROI) can be difficult to define, particularly in media and public relations. Questions such as, “Will the results I achieve from my PR campaigns be equal to or surpass the money we spend on them?” or “How can we be sure we are maximizing our public relations successes and getting the most bang for our buck and efforts?” often arise when attempting to determine a campaign’s ROI. Utilizing the Internet is one surefire way to maximize your investment, measure ROI and earn credibility by showcasing your media and PR hits, including awards, sponsorships and bylined articles as well as articles written about your business.

The key is to be proactive, not only with your business’s website, but with other sites and with a variety of social media tools from Facebook to Twitter to LinkedIn to your company’s blog. The beauty of getting noticed and followed or by gaining some press on the Internet is two-fold.

• Instant access to showcase positive news to potential customers.
• More ways for potential customers to find your company when these mentions or media hits are posted on other websites, or linked to from social sharing sites.

Measuring your company’s online ROI isn’t accomplished by sitting back with your feet up; it is important to play an active role in your Internet marketing campaigns. The following are several ways to measure your investments in social media and public relations to know how much bang you’re getting for your buck.

1. Are people talking? When it comes to measuring ROI for a social media campaign, it can often be difficult to know how well you’re doing. Perhaps one of the easiest ways to tell if your campaign is effective is if your friends or fans are talking about your online efforts, sharing your posts, retweeting your comments, or otherwise recognizing your work online.
2. Check the numbers. Simple online metrics tools are easy ways to help you get a handle on how your Internet marketing campaigns are doing. Google Analytics is one of our favorite tools. Keep in mind, though, that the overall effectiveness of your campaign goes beyond measuring site traffic or Twitter followers.
3. Are you learning anything? Measuring ROI is not all about the numbers or the customers, there is also a premium to be put on how much you learn from your online campaigns. A lot is being said about your company in Facebook, Twitter, and blog comments—information that, good or bad, you can use to improve your strategy and your company overall.

At corecubed,  we guide our clients in the best ways to measure their return on investments, both statistically and in more abstract ways. If you are thinking about beginning an Internet marketing campaign or enhancing your existing one, contact our team today!