5 Tools to Increase Your Social Media ROI

Social media can be a highly effective marketing tool. It can also be an enormous waste of time, energy and money if not managed, tracked and measured for return on investment.

So what can you do to ensure you are getting the most out each of your posts? There are multitude of tools that will allow you to effectively listen and gauge whether your message is reaching your audience. I have highlighted 5 of my favorite tools (one not so much a tool as a tip) that will let you maximize the ROI in your social media management.


1. Google Alerts for Social Media

Ever wonder what people are saying about you and your company? Just like Google alerts, SocialMention.com allows you to set up pre-defined rules that will notify you when any of your keywords are mentioned across various social media networks.

On top of this, Social Mention is a social media search and analysis platform that aggregates data and allows you to see what is trending in far greater detail than the generic trending bar on Twitter.

2. Use Buffer, please.

If you are not using Buffer already, you absolutely should be. Buffer in the simplest of terms, is social media magic. From Buffer’s website:

“Buffer makes your life easier with a smarter way to schedule the great content you find. Fill up your Buffer at one time in the day and Buffer automagically posts them for you through the day. Simply keep that Buffer topped up to have a consistent social media presence all day round, all week long.”

I absolutely love Buffer’s ability to determine your best time to post whether it is on Facebook, LinkedIn, App.net, or Twitter. Get started today and let Buffer do the heavy lifting for you!

3. Online Time Machine

Let’s face it, managing social media can be overwhelming, especially if you are a blogger. Mentions and pingbacks from users linking to your website in their tweets or posts on Google+ can be difficult to keep track of. That’s where BackTweets.com comes in.

BackTweets.com is a free web app that allows you to easily search back through the history of Twitter pingbacks and mentions by entering either a URL, Twitter handle, or hashtag. You can also analyze what blog posts, articles, or tweets garnered the most feedback from your followers.

4. Analytic insight from TweebOne of my biggest complaints when it comes to Twitter is that I am only able to see consumer facing data. Outside of mentions or direct messages, Twitter users are blind to how many clicks, views, or responses they have received.

That’s why I love Tweeb! Tweeb is a free app that offers a great overview including click rate and follower rate.

5. Pay Attention

My last tip isn’t a tool, but just a simple suggestion. The easiest and most simple solution to creating more interaction and feedback from your online followers, is to get out of your own way.

Too often I find myself so caught up in the newest or latest social media gadget that I let the conversation slide. Know where and when your time is best served and stay engaged and active within your community. I find more often than not that the latest and greatest is simply another time sucking tool.





By Rebekah Radice
Manager of Industry Engagement at Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate
Rebekah is a social media strategist, content developer and trainer that has been actively involved in the Real Estate and Mortgage Industries for over 18 years. Rebekah believes that social media has transformative powers when it is used correctly and integrated in to a strategic marketing plan. Rebekah manages social media on a daily basis and is eager to help you STOP those time sucking activities and maximize, prioritize and monetize your online efforts!