Social media metrics do not have to be complicated even if it is still a bit controversial. You are already doing many forms of measurement with your traditional media projects. Where social media is involved, you know that measurement is constantly evolving as existing platforms change and new ones enter the social space. Regardless of the changes that may come your way, one thing will continue to remain the same – if you keep an eye on your data it will help you understand the results.

Though the specific numbers are quite important, they aren’t as important as the trends you’ll find over quarters, months and years – therefore, if you want to start collecting this data and recording this information, you have got to start now. Looking at how these numbers develop over time will provide you with beneficial insights on to what is working within your social media strategy and what is not. The best way to begin doing this is by really getting to know who is interacting and engaging on your site, among other things.

Last week we shared some ideas on how you can begin measuring your relationships. Now let’s think about how you can make it as easy as possible for your clients, consumers and community members to interact and engage with you, and why that might be important – then you can begin to collect the data you need and kickstart your measurement campaign.

Consumers are becoming more and more social media savvy. Make sure your brand acknowledges that by making visits to your site or blog as user friendly as possible. Consider offering interactive components, like the ability to share content across social media platforms. If your community can interact with their friends and connections across the social web in places like Facebook and LinkedIn, they’re going to want to have the same capability when interacting with your brand as well. If they have the option to receive coupons, discounts and rewards for becoming a fan, then they are going to come to expect the same from your slice of social real estate.

Janrain Study - Consumer Reactions SSI

With that being said, consider social sign-in (SSI). A social sign-in option allows users to sign in on a platform using their profiles from Facebook, Google, Twitter or other social websites – think Facebook Open Graph, Twitter OAuth, OpenID etc.  Because we’re focusing on metrics, it’s no longer just about listening. If you are looking for measurement based on your relationships with your community and making data collection easier so you get the right information, then SSI seems to be where we’re headed.

A recent study by Janrain and Blue Research indicates that three in four consumers avoid creating new user accounts. 66% of consumers believe social sign-in should be offered and only 25% of users are inclined to hand over their information when asked to register at a brand’s website.

It’s an important factor for brands. Study participants stated that they’d be more likely to return to a brand’s site that offers social sign-in. They spend larger dollar amounts with brands that use SSI and they have more favorable views toward the SSI-enabled brands.

Your brand needs to stand out from the competition. You need your community to stay involved and share, interact and engage and really feel they’re receiving a personalized experience when they visit you on the web.  The best way to offer a customized experience is to get to know them, to build and solidify those relationships. Through social sign-in, you can collect the information you need, to analyze your data and measure where you’re at and where you want to be.

Do you think how you collect your data makes a difference? Are you using social sign-in and if so, how? Do you make it as easy as possible for your community to share your information? Let us know by sharing your thoughts below.

Tags: Analytics, Community, measurement, metrics, Social Sign In, Social Strategy