Comments on: intangibles, roi and social media http://vanessarhinesmith.com/blog/2008/02/04/intangibles-roi-and-social-media/ Tue, 06 Jan 2009 05:59:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Vanessa Rhinesmith http://vanessarhinesmith.com/blog/2008/02/04/intangibles-roi-and-social-media/#comment-86 Vanessa Rhinesmith Tue, 05 Feb 2008 14:23:20 +0000 http://vanessarhinesmith.com/blog/2008/02/04/intangibles-roi-and-social-media/#comment-86 Thank you Beth for your comment. It's a question I have been repeatedly faced with and one that I'm not fully yet able to answer. No doubt I will be confronted many times again with some incarnation of this question - and perhaps that's why I appreciated your focus on the intangibles. So much in this sphere is intangible, but with a distinctive benefit even though that benefit is not always monetary. It's definitely a question and a conversation worth pursing in the hopes that an answer or at least an increased openness is achieved. I think Nick's example of "friending" is all relative - or perhaps simply a matter of perspective. I don't think it's so much about building a consumer base as Nick states, but rather a means of cultivating awareness and participating in the conversation - as opposed to dictating it. Though I always wondered if this type of action is more effective in building community for the not-for-profit sector as it appears that there is a more in sync sociology at play. The other piece is simply how not-for-profits and for-profits are approaching social media. How they are defining it, leveraging it and measuring it. The goals of each are different (usually) - social activism, civic engagement and community awareness are themes that are so much more aligned to foundational principles of social media. Where I'm still trying decide if social media and the bottom-line is a forced fit. Thank you Beth for your comment. It’s a question I have been repeatedly faced with and one that I’m not fully yet able to answer. No doubt I will be confronted many times again with some incarnation of this question - and perhaps that’s why I appreciated your focus on the intangibles. So much in this sphere is intangible, but with a distinctive benefit even though that benefit is not always monetary. It’s definitely a question and a conversation worth pursing in the hopes that an answer or at least an increased openness is achieved.

I think Nick’s example of “friending” is all relative - or perhaps simply a matter of perspective. I don’t think it’s so much about building a consumer base as Nick states, but rather a means of cultivating awareness and participating in the conversation - as opposed to dictating it. Though I always wondered if this type of action is more effective in building community for the not-for-profit sector as it appears that there is a more in sync sociology at play.

The other piece is simply how not-for-profits and for-profits are approaching social media. How they are defining it, leveraging it and measuring it. The goals of each are different (usually) - social activism, civic engagement and community awareness are themes that are so much more aligned to foundational principles of social media. Where I’m still trying decide if social media and the bottom-line is a forced fit.

]]> By: Beth Kanter http://vanessarhinesmith.com/blog/2008/02/04/intangibles-roi-and-social-media/#comment-85 Beth Kanter Tue, 05 Feb 2008 13:52:01 +0000 http://vanessarhinesmith.com/blog/2008/02/04/intangibles-roi-and-social-media/#comment-85 Hi Vanessa: Thanks for raising the question: How does one begins to determine what activities would be valuable to the strategic picture - and therefore be leveraged to make a compelling case for resources, support and implementation? I'm not sure I agree with Nick's example of friending. Friending is a key work task of using social networking sites. Many of my "friends" are people who found me on Facebook because they are blog readers. So, using Facebook gave me an opportunity to know them a bit better and engage in a conversation. Having a network that you've cultivated is an asset that is hard to measure, but immensely valuable. Hi Vanessa:

Thanks for raising the question:

How does one begins to determine what activities would be valuable to the strategic picture - and therefore be leveraged to make a compelling case for resources, support and implementation?

I’m not sure I agree with Nick’s example of friending. Friending is a key work task of using social networking sites. Many of my “friends” are people who found me on Facebook because they are blog readers. So, using Facebook gave me an opportunity to know them a bit better and engage in a conversation. Having a network that you’ve cultivated is an asset that is hard to measure, but immensely valuable.

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