Measure Website Return on Investment (ROI)

While tuned into BFM’s Open for Business, one of the Pink Sage restaurant’s partner asked about the ROI for their website. The answers were lead only towards the website traffic and nobody corrected the question. Seated on my couch, I was thinking, shouldn’t they have explained the ROI for the website depends on what you’re aiming to measure in the first place?

ROI is not online traffic only

Today, I’ve noticed website traffic doesn’t necessarily bring you an investment. Yes, it brings you awareness but is that what you’re measuring in the first place?

It’s not even right to say website traffic will give you sales because social media is heading this right now. We eat at places friends have tried – Facebook. We eat at places our friends have checked out – Foursquare. We eat at places others have wrote about – blogs or media. So, only as a last resort, we visit the unknown.

Which ROI are you measuring?

Based on above, you can already tell there are many channels to measure your ROI. Hence, what is the ROI do you want to measure for your business?

If you haven’t heard, these were some ways ROI was measured for some platforms.

Facebook

Invited events to fans only or special promotions only attainable by your fans.

Foursquare

Check-in to get a free mud pie. Or, overthrow the current mayor and get a free beer.

Blogs and Twitter

Bloggers write everything from the environment, quality of food to how well your services is at the restaurant. Not to mention, bloggers who know the meaning of a food blogger would have really great photos and honest write-ups. Twitter is a great tool to find out instantly, how good of a service have you delivered to your customers. But it can also be your worst nightmare if overlooked.

Media Write-ups

I categorized this outside of blogs because there are media reviews which are paid, mostly. This awareness exercise still works among those who still read newspapers. However, I can’t say for its future in 5-10 years. Especially if the news continues to be repetitive and uninteresting.

What is your ROI objective?

In the world of marketing and sales, I’d believe ROI is about:

• Numbers (sales)
• Popularity (awareness)

And now, emotions – social activity.

So before you start to ask what’s the expected ROI from your website, pause.

Ask yourself, what ROI do you want measured and achieved? ROI alone is a 3-letter word as vague and plentiful of opportunities.

Can You Really Outsource Management of Social Media Marketing?

Social media has fast become the big boy in Internet marketing. From what started as personal journals (blogs), to friend networks (friendster), and other social platforms is now deemed as; social media marketing – leveraging close relationships to communicate your brand and product benefits to others. In simpler words, word-of-mouth marketing – the electronic way.

Social media monitoring

Or, as a friend called it; spying, is when you want to track select words or phrases from the Web. Social media monitoring solutions are a Google way so I’m not going to mention names here. And agencies use these solutions to compile reports to brief you.

Now, for this task I can understand the need to outsource. Because not only will you have to compile reports but you’ve to understand what’s happening and how should you act upon it. Therefore, a social media consultant is preferred.

Social media management

This is the part which I’m concerned about. Can an organization outsource the management of their social media interactions?

Working closely with David in Level5, he brought up a point which stuck to me ever since. It was how we preferred to train the marketing team to manage their own social media than to outsource it to us at Level5. And I believed it with good reason because:

• How d’you expect us to answer your customer questions?
• And if we couldn’t, how long will you take to give us an answer to give them?

Worst part I believe is when you outsource your social media, if the agency isn’t an existing user of your brand, the tone and passion communicating with your customers would be different.

Good copywriting can only maintain it’s invisibility to a certain degree. Like a person, you can only hide behind a mask for so long before your mistress realizes you’ve not left your wife for her.

So, why are organizations still looking to outsource their social media management? You tell me.

Where do blogs fit into your web strategy?

The web has grown up very quickly. From using blogs as a marketing communication tool, SEO to boost awareness to now, social media as your reach to the masses. But among all this talk now, I wonder where  and how does the blog fit into your online strategy?

Let’s have a look at some popular platforms online and how they’re used right now.

Telling it in 140 characters with Twitter

As much as some still question its feasibility, it’s here to stay – for now. It’s addictive because no long grandmother stories but simple, shortened personal thoughts. In addition, it gets the word out very quickly and this is important for live reporting or public announcements. Many Twitter applications have made retweeting easier and faster.

And Twitter is a micro-blogging platform. Similar to Plurk and others.

Facebook isn’t only about friends anymore

What the bunch of college kids thought as a communication platform, has grown into a fan worship and brand evangelist platform. My friends on Facebook are demanding more than friendship today. They invite me to like their fan pages. Some of which are blogs, businesses, brands and well, attractive ladies.

Similarly but more viral than Twitter, this platform uses your 6-degrees of separation. You’re more likely to support a friend whom you know than an avatar on Twitter.

In short, Facebook is a social networking site.

Check-in to Foursquare for your reward

Though relatively new, it’s growing quickly from friend to friend. Plus, it was thought with a commercial offer in mind. A platform to help physical businesses boost their traffic and sales. Simply checking into a venue is but an introduction to this tool.

Its benefit lie inside its reward system from mayorships to other promotional specials. At the same time, it builds community and team effort between users. For example, you need the help of 50 people to achieve a Swarm badge.

By the way, what’s great about Foursquare, Twitter and Facebook is they can be interlinked.

• Updates on Foursquare can be channeled to Twitter and Facebook.
• Updates on Twitter can be published to your Facebook wall, not your status anymore.
• And Facebook, well, it becomes the platform to consolidate all your personal activity.

So, are blogs still a marketing communication tool?

When the wave came, it was regarded as nothing but an online journal to now, a platform for advertising and self-fulfillment. Besides the SEO benefit, what objectives can businesses achieve by publishing a blog now? How does it fit into their web strategy?

Service oriented companies who write blogs may still use it as a marketing communication tool. Like this blog is used for me to share my insight in relation to my industry and services offered under Simpleet.

But what is to become of product related companies who publish blogs? Will it be used more as a feedback tool than a marketing communications tool?

This was a thought I’ve been pondering past few days.

Intel: What’s New Inside

Intel’s got a new toy to introduce to the geek market. And they’re right now teasing all of us; geeks, at their new What’s Inside website.

And on YouTube.

Seems to me Intel is really going all out on their ‘Inside Matters’. Though I won a Dell Mini thanks to Intel previously, I remembered another campaign. Participants were asked to write about an article or story about what matter’s inside. See, it’s like a disease.

Anyway, Intel is offering prizes worth RM2599 at their new campaign website. Initially, I thought there was 1 prize worth RM2599 but after reading it again, it’s prizes (plural; more than 1). But hey, more than 1 prize is a good thing too!

So, how do I win 1 of the prizes?

Easy. Submit 3 guesses of what you think is inside that funky rainbow box.

Bonus tip for you

It’s easy to say, we could be looking at a Wimax-enabled netbook or laptop from Intel. At least that’s what others are saying. LOL!

If you’re in the market for a notebook or a netbook, here’s a tip: Get the one with WiMAX-Inside! | http://whatisinside.com.my/

Source: @P1Media

By the way, dear Intel campaign team. Please link the Twitter logo to your account and not the main Twitter website.

D’you think there’s magic cookies inside the box?

I’ll let you know what I find when I look into the box at their launch event.

The Malaysia Personal Data Protection Bill

In TheStar’s pullout of InTech today, there was an article about the personal data protection bill. It’s about the protection of our personal information requested by companies, religious bodies, political parties and charitable organisations that engage in business. In short, commercially driven businesses.

What is considered personal data information?

• Name
• Age
• Home address
• Photo & Video captured by CCTV
• IC/Passport number

At least that’s the list mentioned in the article. However, I’m surprised to not find mobile or email included. Bummer. Plus, shouldn’t photo and video be covered under all electronic devices? Or, is blackmailing some person with their naked body on mobiles and webcams not considered under this bill? Hmm.

How can it protect my personal data information?

• Companies or the requesting parties for your information must inform you how they intend to use your information.
• Consumers have the right to contact the party who spammed you to check what was the last product/service you purchased from them that your personal data was given.

What happens if they didn’t comply?

Those found guilty of contravening the rules could be fined a sum not exceeding RM200,000 or be jailed for a period not exceeding two years, or both.

Source: InTech article.

How will this affect my business and data mining?

Well, every website’s going to need a privacy policy if you’re collecting any personal information. The statement which says your information will not be sold to any third party is commonly in there.

And if you don’t want to be a legal hard*ss, then clearly state what this information will be used for then. I don’t believe it’ll take you more than 1 paragraph to summarize it.

My added opinion on personal data.

But now I’m thinking, are Malaysians even educated enough about the personal data they should be sharing? For example, have you tried Googling your name and notice what personal information comes up?

And again, email and mobile numbers are becoming very valuable information. Is it included into this bill? If it wasn’t, why not?

Clients I’ve worked with want to collect as much personal data about their visitors. What are their intended use? Beats me. However, time and time again I’ve educated my clients that no one’s going to give you the data you want without something of equal value.

Now, I’ve been proven wrong as some visitors do give all the requested information. *slaps forehead* But I foresee this is because the visitor themselves aren’t well educated on personal data. To them, it’s brand-X therefore I don’t have to worry.

Well, truth be told, rumors have it some telcos are pawning our personal data. Whether it’s a myth or not, I’ll leave it to you to find out.

Just be more concerned about your personal information. Ask yourself, how is this data I’m giving related to why I’m giving it? Is it to win a prize? Is it to download something – most common for Internet marketers?

Once you master this, you’d be smarter than to fall for the “Maybank2u needs your username and password now!”

So, do you think email and mobile numbers should be included into the personal data protection bill?