Myths of Measurement

According to “Measure What Matters” by Katie Delahaye Paine, there are quite a few myths about measurement. She dispels all of the myths right in the first chapter, so you can put your objections at ease. One of the myths that I first believed was true, was that you can’t measure ROI on certain social media efforts.

I have heard numerous times that social media campaigns set out to strengthen relationships and build a community. With that in mind, I never thought you could actually measure if those initiatives are improving the bottom line. As a business student, I like to think in terms of calculable dollar signs, but I am beginning to realize money is not the only measurement of brand success.

This section taught me that some social media efforts will be difficult to measure, but if you think outside of the box you can pinpoint a change, and it might not be visible through sales. It isn’t just about the bottom line, but also about the future costs that you are avoiding. The chapter also noted how implementing a measurement program could keep you from losing out on opportunity costs.