Many studies show that when people answer surveys asking "How did you hear about us?" somewhere between 25 and 50 percent of the time they will just guess. "I saw your ad on a billboard," someone might say, even though the business doing the asking doesn't advertise that way. Or, "I heard about your product on the radio or in the newspaper," when the business has never placed a radio or newspaper ad. People who answer incorrectly don't want to be misleading. They give an answer because they want to be helpful.
The point is that social media isn't only about ROI. And it isn't only about sales. Social media is about branding, opening channels of communication with customers, building loyalty, being transparent and establishing good will.
And if you cover all of those bases, then guess what? If your product or service is worthy, you will most definitely see a return on your investment. Here are four things to know about investing in social media....
In social media, it's all about the long game