ROI and Social Media are not in line as of yet, so to quantifiably measure ROI would be a risky excessive. When we speak to organizations, we try to provide fact around social media and the increasing change in everyone’s patterns because of this phenomenon, even how we look for and find work. Ask the leaders if they want to continue in yesterday or swim where the fish are.

It’s undeniable that Social Media is the fastest growing medium we’ve ever seen. It is difficult to avoid or ignore the excitement that organizations have around the impact and potential social media has to help grow their business. Many organizations are investigating Social Media Strategy(s) to support their corporate goals and objectives.

Organizations that approach social media in a pragmatic, planned and research-oriented manner realize incredible results. Much more than originally anticipated. The value of social media is indisputable. Individuals using social media have come to accept what they view in social channels as being more relevant, believable and valuable than that of more traditional media such as print, television and radio. Social media has also brought to light an important age old concept, that the decision making of individuals is deeply influenced by their communities and peers who are becoming increasingly connected online. By 2013, it is estimated that there will be one billion smartphones, a ten-fold increase from 2009 . Tools like Facebook and LinkedIn have wisely leveraged this concept to create multi-billion dollar businesses. Furthermore, an individual’s circle of influence is helping to shape a variety of different decisions, including those regarding his or her career. This is where the power and magic of social media lies as it pertains to talent attraction. It is the reason why social media has changed the recruitment paradigm and why so many top-tier organizations are taking it seriously. According to Jobvite’s 2010 Social Recruiting Survey , among the companies that are currently hiring, 92% of respondents use social media for recruiting. Those same companies also rated social networks higher than job boards and search engine optimization and just below referrals in terms of candidate quality.

What do you think?

Richard Matthews, Partner, Granite Consulting
richard@graniteconsulting.ca
(416) 628-5481