So Matt Castle sent a link to me on how to monetize social media. With all the hype out there about cool Web 2.0, it’s good to take a step back and figure out how an investment will give you pay back. I should note that this is very focused on consumer type communities or experiences. Using social tools for employees would probably have a different theme. It’s still possible to see ROI from it, a different approach is needed though.
- Set clear business goals
- Create paths of continuous participation
- Engage everyone, not just contributors
- Make your efforts contextually relevant
- Drive revenue not just web metrics (I like this one)
See the web page for a slightly deeper dive into these five items.