Social Media and ROI
I was very pleased today to see another article by Mashable about Return on Investment (ROI) of social media campaigns. Why today? Well, on Publib, a public library email list, there had been a rather unfortunate question about Facebook and libraries.
The question had a dismissive tone, comparing “likes” on Facebook to junior high. And don’t get me started on a public librarian using middle school kids as a way to dismiss new technologies!
So I direct any librarians looking for information on how to figure out if there will be a return on the investment of time and energy in social media to Mashable’s straight forward and practical take on the matter:
HOW TO: Calculate the ROI of Your Social Media Campaign
Understanding the Social Media ROI Cycle
And then, because I just can’t let it go that easily, I would urge librarians, who are thinking dismissively of social media and the time and energy it takes, to stop looking at it from their personal point of view. Instead start thinking of the teens, younger adults, adults, seniors and yes, junior high kids too, who are ready and waiting to hear from their public library in a place they already are.
Dismissing social media is one of the few things that I’m still ready to shush. Shhh!
