#Marketing For Beginners

[theendearingdesigner]

Simplest Way to Track Social Media Marketing ROI?

Social media marketing is vital for modern businesses, but many struggle with one crucial question: "Is our social media investment paying off?" If you've been searching for a straightforward way to measure your social media ROI without getting lost in complex analytics, this guide is for you.

...

What is Social Media ROI?

Social media ROI measures the value your business gets from investing time, money, and resources into social media marketing compared to what you put in. This value comes in various forms:

Direct revenue from social media campaigns

Lead generation and customer acquisition

Website traffic increases

Brand awareness growth

Community building and engagement

Understanding your social media ROI helps determine if your strategies are working and where to focus your resources for maximum impact.

...

Why Tracking Social Media ROI Matters

Smarter decision-making: Know where to allocate your budget based on what's actually working.

Accountability: Justify your social media investments to stakeholders with hard data.

Performance optimization: Identify your most successful content, campaigns, and platforms.

Resource allocation: Make informed decisions about where to spend your time and money.

Competitive advantage: Use data insights to refine strategies faster than competitors.

...

The Simplest Method for Tracking Social Media ROI

After analyzing various tracking methods, the most effective yet straightforward approach combines UTM parameters with Google Analytics for website traffic and online conversions, supplemented by unique promo codes for direct sales attribution.

Here's how to implement this method in 5 simple steps:

Step 1: Define Clear, Measurable Goals

Start by establishing what you want to achieve with your social media efforts. Your goals should be SMART:

Specific: "Increase website traffic from Instagram by 20%" rather than "Get more traffic"

Measurable: Include numbers that can be tracked

Achievable: Set realistic targets based on your resources

Relevant: Align with broader business objectives

Time-bound: Set a specific timeframe

Common measurable social media goals include:

Generate X leads per month from social media

Increase website traffic from social channels by X%

Achieve X direct sales attributed to social media campaigns

Grow follower count by X within a specific timeframe

Improve engagement rate by X% over a defined period

Step 2: Identify Your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Select KPIs that directly relate to your goals:

For brand awareness:

Reach

Impressions

Follower growth rate

Brand mentions

Share of voice

For engagement:

Likes and reactions

Comments and replies

Shares and retweets

Click-through rate (CTR)

Engagement rate

For website traffic:

Website visits from social media

Referral traffic

Bounce rate of social traffic

Average session duration

For lead generation:

Number of leads from social media

Conversion rate of social media leads

Cost per lead (CPL)

Lead quality

For sales conversions:

Direct sales attributed to social media

Conversion rate from social media traffic

Revenue generated from campaigns

Return on ad spend (ROAS)

Step 3: Calculate Your Investment Costs

Track all costs associated with your social media efforts:

Advertising budgets for paid campaigns

Content creation costs (photography, videography, copywriting)

Staff time allocated to social media management

Software and tool subscriptions

Any other resources directly invested in social media

Be thorough here—accurate cost tracking is essential for true ROI calculation.

Step 4: Implement Simple Tracking Methods

For website traffic and conversions - UTM parameters + Google Analytics:

Create unique UTM parameters for all links shared on social media using Google's Campaign URL Builder or a similar tool

Structure your UTMs consistently:

utm_source = the platform (facebook, instagram, linkedin)

utm_medium = the type of traffic (social, paid_social)

utm_campaign = your specific campaign name

utm_content = the specific post or ad

Set up goals in Google Analytics to track conversions from social media traffic

Create regular reports showing traffic and conversions from each social channel

For direct sales attribution - Unique promo codes:

Create platform or campaign-specific promo codes (e.g., INSTA25, FB25)

Share these unique codes in your social media content

Track redemptions at checkout to directly attribute sales to specific platforms or campaigns

For broader impact - Platform analytics:

Use built-in analytics tools from each platform (Meta Business Suite, Instagram Insights, TikTok Analytics, etc.) to track engagement metrics and audience growth.

Step 5: Calculate Your ROI Using a Simple Formula

The fundamental formula for social media ROI is:

Social Media ROI = ((Value Generated - Cost of Investment) / Cost of Investment) × 100

For example:

If your e-commerce business generated $50,000 in sales from social media referrals

And you spent $18,000 on social media marketing

Your ROI would be (($50,000 - $18,000) / $18,000) × 100 = 178%

For B2B companies measuring lead value:

If you generated 100 qualified leads valued at $200 each (total value: $20,000)

And your social media costs were $4,000

Your ROI would be (($20,000 - $4,000) / $4,000) × 100 = 400%

...

Real-World Success Stories

Galaxy Theatres: By implementing targeted Facebook and Instagram campaigns with proper tracking, they achieved a 72% increase in ticket sales and significantly grew their Instagram engagement.

Incontact: This B2B company trained their sales team on social selling techniques with careful ROI tracking, resulting in a 215% increase in revenue.

Retro Kids: The toy company lowered their cost per acquisition by 31% and increased their return on ad spend to 4.27 through strategic social media campaigns with proper attribution.

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Key Takeaways for Simple, Effective ROI Tracking

Focus on goals that matter to your business. Don't try to track everything—concentrate on the metrics that directly impact your business objectives.

Be consistent with your tracking methods. Use the same UTM structure and tracking processes every time to ensure accurate data.

Combine quantitative and qualitative data. Numbers tell only part of the story—customer feedback and sentiment are also valuable.

Start simple and build complexity over time. Begin with the basic tracking methods outlined here, then add sophistication as you become more comfortable.

Review and optimize regularly. Check your social media performance data at least monthly and adjust your strategy based on what's working.

By following these straightforward steps, any business can effectively track their social media ROI without getting overwhelmed by complex analytics or expensive tools. The key is consistency in tracking and a focus on the metrics that directly connect to your business goals.

Remember: The goal isn't perfect attribution, but rather a consistent framework that helps you make better decisions about your social media investments.

...

This article (https://theendearingdesigner.com/simplest-way-to-track-social-media-marketing-roi) was first published on The Endearing Designer.

[toolsforthedigitalmarketer]

Essential Digital Marketing Tools Anyone Can Master

Mastering digital marketing starts with knowing the right tools to use. These tools are not just for experts—they’re designed to be user-friendly and accessible to anyone wanting to improve their digital presence. Here’s a curated list that will help you get started, even if you’re a complete beginner.

1. Google Analytics: Your Window into Website Traffic

Google Analytics is like the ultimate map of your website’s traffic. By installing it on your site, you’ll see where your visitors come from, what they’re reading, and how long they stick around. The best part? Google provides free resources to help beginners understand the basics. Once you’re comfortable, you’ll be able to monitor key stats like page views, session duration, and which pages people bounce off from, giving you insights to improve your site’s content.

Try This: Start with the Audience Overview report to see where visitors are coming from, and check the Behavior section to understand popular content.

2. Canva: Create Eye-Catching Visuals with Ease

Creating beautiful graphics for social media, blogs, and ads doesn’t require a design degree when you have Canva. With its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, anyone can pick a template, add their text, colors, and images, and voilà—a professional-looking graphic! It’s perfect for social posts, flyers, or any visual content you want to create.

Pro Tip: Start with a template, customize the colors and fonts to match your brand, and don’t forget to explore Canva’s vast library of stock images and icons.

3. Mailchimp: The Friendliest Email Marketing Platform

If you’re interested in email marketing, Mailchimp is a great place to start. Its straightforward interface helps you design, automate, and send emails that engage your audience. With Mailchimp’s templates, you can easily put together a professional email, even if it’s your first time.

Getting Started: Set up a free account, create a small contact list, and use a template to design your first email newsletter.

4. Hootsuite: Your Social Media Organizer

Hootsuite is a lifesaver for anyone managing multiple social media accounts. This tool lets you schedule posts, track engagement, and even see what people are saying about you across different platforms—all in one dashboard. Hootsuite’s simplicity makes it accessible to anyone, even beginners.

Try This: Link your social media accounts, schedule a week’s worth of posts, and track how each post performs.

5. SEMrush: Discover SEO Opportunities

If you’re interested in making your content more visible on search engines, SEMrush is your go-to tool. It’s great for researching keywords, seeing what your competitors are doing, and even analyzing your site’s SEO performance. While it may look complex, SEMrush provides tutorials that help you learn the basics quickly.

First Step: Start with a keyword search relevant to your content or business, and see what similar sites are ranking for. This can help you build an effective SEO strategy.

6. Google Ads: Explore the World of Online Advertising

Google Ads lets you create paid ads that appear at the top of Google search results. While the thought of running ads might feel advanced, Google Ads provides a step-by-step setup wizard to guide you through. Once you’re familiar, you’ll be able to target specific keywords and audiences.

Quick Tip: Start small. Set a low budget, select a few relevant keywords, and track your ad’s performance to see what works best.

7. BuzzSumo: Find Trending Content Topics

If you want to know what topics people are currently interested in, BuzzSumo is your answer. This tool helps you find trending content in your niche by showing you what’s popular across the web. It’s perfect for discovering new ideas and understanding what your audience cares about.

How to Use It: Enter a keyword related to your topic, and BuzzSumo will show you the most shared content on that topic. This can help you brainstorm ideas and create relevant content.

8. Google Trends: Stay on Top of What’s Popular

Google Trends is ideal for finding out how popular a topic is over time. Whether you’re looking for seasonal trends or just want to know what’s buzzing, this tool can guide your content strategy.

Try This: Enter a keyword, set the date range, and explore how interest in the topic has changed. Use this information to plan timely content.

9. Trello: Organize Your Digital Marketing Projects

Trello is a simple project management tool that helps you organize tasks visually. For digital marketers, it’s a fantastic way to plan campaigns, track content ideas, and manage projects. Each project can have its own board with customizable lists and cards, making project tracking a breeze.

Getting Started: Set up a board for your content or campaign ideas, create cards for individual tasks, and move them as you make progress.

10. Yoast SEO: Make Your Content SEO-Friendly (for WordPress Users)

Yoast SEO is a beginner-friendly WordPress plugin that helps you optimize your content for search engines. As you create a post, Yoast will prompt you with tips, like using keywords in titles, meta descriptions, and headings, making SEO feel much simpler.

Pro Tip: Follow Yoast’s prompts as you write, and aim for the “green light” score to improve your content’s searchability.

Conclusion: Start Simple, and Build Your Skills

These tools are not only effective but also designed with beginners in mind. With some practice, you’ll soon be using them like a pro. Each one adds value to your digital marketing skills, whether it’s understanding your audience, creating engaging visuals, or planning content efficiently. Remember, the journey of mastering digital marketing starts with familiarizing yourself with these essential tools.

[guerillamarketingguy]

How to Adapt Guerrilla Marketing Strategies in a Digital World

The transition of guerrilla marketing to the digital sphere requires creativity, adaptability, and strategic planning. Leveraging digital platforms, designing adaptable campaigns, ensuring resilience, maintaining a flexible workforce, and crafting a bridging media strategy are essential. Introduction The core of guerrilla marketing lies in its ability to use unconventional methods to maximize…

[bitchesgetriches]

{ MASTERPOST } Everything You Need to Know about Investing for Beginners

Fundamentals of investing:

What’s the REAL Rate of Return on the Stock Market?

Do NOT Make This Disastrous Beginner Mistake With Your Retirement Funds

The Dark Magic of Financial Horcruxes: How and Why to Diversify Your Assets

Dafuq Is Interest? And How Does It Work for the Forces of Darkness?

Booms, Busts, Bubbles, and Beanie Babies: How Economic Cycles Work

When Money in the Bank Is a Bad Thing: Understanding Inflation and Depreciation

Investing Deathmatch series:

Investing Deathmatch: Managed Funds vs. Index Funds 

Investing Deathmatch: Traditional IRA vs. Roth IRA 

Investing Deathmatch: Investing in the Stock Market vs. Just… Not 

Investing Deathmatch: Stocks vs. Bonds 

Investing Deathmatch: Timing the Market vs. Time IN the Market

Investing Deathmatch: Paying off Debt vs. Investing in the Stock Market 

Investing Deathmatch: What Happens in a Bull Market vs. a Bear Market 

Now that we’ve covered the basics, are you ready to invest but don’t know where to begin? We recommend starting small with micro-investing through our partner Acorns. They’ll round up your purchases to the nearest dollar and invest the change in a nicely diversified portfolio of stocks, bonds, and ETFs. Easy as eating pancakes:

Start saving small with Acorns

Alternative investments:

Small Business Investing: A Kinder, Gentler Alternative to the Stock Market 

Bullshit Reasons Not to Buy a House: Refuted

Investing in Cryptocurrency is Bad and Stupid

So I Got Chickens, Part 1: Return on Investment

Twelve Reasons Senior Pets Are an Awesome Investment 

How To Save for Retirement When You Make Less Than $30,000 a Year

Understanding the stock market:

Ask the Bitches Pandemic Lightning Round: “Did Congress Really Give $1.5 Trillion to Wall Street?”

Season 3, Episode 2: “I Inherited Money. Should I Pay Off Debt, Invest It, or Blow It All on a Car?” 

Money Is Fake and GameStop Is King: What Happened When Reddit and a Meme Stock Tanked Hedge Funds

Season 3, Episode 7: “I’m Finished With the Basic Shit. What Are the Advanced Financial Steps That Only Rich People Know?”

Wait… Did I Just Lose All My Money Investing in the Stock Market?

Season 4, Episode 1: “Index Funds Include Unethical Companies. Can I Still Invest in Them, or Does That Make Me a Monster?” 

Retirement plans:

Dafuq Is a Retirement Plan and Why Do You Need One?

Procrastinating on Opening a Retirement Account? Here’s 3 Ways That’ll Fuck You Over

How to Painlessly Run the Gauntlet of a 401k Rollover

Ask the Bitches: “Can I Quit With Unvested Funds? Or Am I Walking Away From Too Much Money?”

Workplace Benefits and Other Cool Side Effects of Employment

You Need to Talk to Your Parents About Their Retirement Plan

Season 4, Episode 5: “401(k)s Aren’t Offered in My Industry. How Do I Save for Retirement if My Employer Won’t Help?” 

Got a retirement plan already? How about three or four? Have you been leaving a trail of abandoned 401(k)s behind you at every employer you quit? Did we just become best friends? Because that was literally my story until recently. Our partner Capitalize will help you quickly and painlessly get through a 401(k) rollover:

Roll over your retirement fund with Capitalize

Recessions:

Season 1, Episode 12: “Should I Believe the Fear-Mongering about Another Recession?”

There’s a Storm a’Comin’: What We Know About the Next Recession

Ask the Bitches: How Do I Prepare for a Recession?

A Brief History of the 2008 Crash and Recession: We Were All So Fucked

Ask the Bitches Pandemic Lightning Round: “Is This the Right Time To Start Investing?”

[the-hanged-mans-ghost]

I find it hilarious my booth at the farmers market is a magnet to the 'Weird' kids, therians of all ages, Queer and trans folks of all ages, allies of all of the above.

I love y'all and it's a joy seeing the variety of cool like minded folks stopping by my booth!

Also, some paintings/wood burnings I recently did:

[rigelmejo]

Something that always annoys me is the idea only 1 language learning method works. Which is not true. While it may be possible that, for a particular individual, only a few out of many study methods may work well enough for That Individual to make progress and stay motivated... that doesn't mean all the other study methods won't work for anyone else out there, or that those few methods will work for every other given person.

Obviously if you've been studying a while, then you already figured out what kinds of things work for you and don't. If you're a beginner, just wading into studying?

I would suggest you simply look for study methods that: 1. Teach you new things regularly, 2. Review and practice things you've learned, 3. Include studying things you need for your particular goals (for example if your goal is to read X book then the study materials at some point should involve reading practice and some words the book contains, if your goal is to talk about Y then the study materials should include some information about pronunciation and words you'll need to be able to say).

As you can imagine, a TON of study materials will meet these requirements. And you can study a given skill in a LOT of ways.

(Reading is my focus lol so just for reading, a beginner might: do vocabulary study with lists or conversations with native speakers or watching shows and looking words up or listening to dialogues with a transcript like in a textbook or graded readers or a picture book with word labels in the target language or a video game with labelled objects in target language, all of those things as long as your vocabulary is improving or reading practice is happening would help you make progress). So to improve reading skill as a beginner: you could study with a textbook, a podcast with transcript, a classroom or tutor with words written down in target language (like TPRS), a video game, a TV show and a translate app on your phone, a friend you talk with (who either writes words down or you look up words you hear with a translate app), a friend you text with, srs flashcards like anki (provided there's text) etc. As long as there's new words, and/or you're practicing reading, the study method may work. If it works will come down to if you can stay motivated doing it regularly, and make sure you regularly learn some new things and review/practice things you've already studied.

So consider those things when you see people selling a study method as a product (especially when it's costing you money). Consider if it teaches you NEW things, and are those new things related to your goals, and how MUCH new stuff will it teach you before you finish it? Consider if it provides review or practice, or if you can use it's materials to review on your own making up your own method, or if you'll need to do separate review/practice.

So examples:

LingQ. Can it teach you many new words? Yes, thousands, since you can import any texts you want when you get done with their provided material (I have no idea how much their beginner material covers though in terms of words... I would hope 1000-3000 words but that can be researched). Is your goal reading? It's suited to reading, so you will practice and review often with it. Cost? I think it was $12 a month when I last had it, and the price may have increased. Is it worth it? Depends on a learner's needs. I found it was wasting my money, so I chose to use free tools like Pleco and Readibu apps - since those apps are suited for Chinese learners and have better translations, Pleco has better paid graded reader material if I was going to spend money, and both Pleco and Readibu let me import texts so I can learn thousands of new words just like LingQ but free. Now that I'm not a beginner, I often use Microsoft Edge to read chinese... since I can still click-translate words easily (all my web browsers have that tool free), and Edge's TTS voice is helpful for pronunciation and sounds quite good. I read webnovels online so Edge works well. But it's translations aren't as good as Pleco or Readibu, so if I still needed translations more I would use them. So... is LingQ a good study method? Its certainly a study method marketed to buy. Well... the method is suited to improving reading skill, at least. It costs money, which is a negative, but it does offer a lot. However: everything it does regarding reading can be done free with other apps or sites or web browsers on their own. So if paying money motivates you to read... sure. LingQ does have a few word tracking features a learner may find worth the money, keeping in mind the actual read-to-learn method can be done free without lingq. (Also... while LingQ is a valid option for improving reading, if the learners goal is speaking then it would be important to think of what study activities the learner will do OUTSIDE of LingQ to improve speaking... because I've seen how LingQ is marketed as "how to learn a language" but it's only focused on some skills. It has vocabulary and grammar in some sense, since you'll read a lot and encounter new words and structures. But it doesnt have speaking or writing practice at least last time I was on it. Those activities would need to be worked on, on your own).

You can do that kind of cost/benefit contemplating with any study method material you see being sold. Amother example: there's a beginner Mandarin course called Mandarin Blueprint. It teaches like 800 words. Thats all. It may be worthwhile for a beginner... who still needs to learn 800 common words. But if you already know a few hundred words, the benefit of the course is less, you'll need to find a new material to teach you more new stuff soon. And the price was like a few hundred for the course... which for me personally was too much to spend, when I had already learned 800 hanzi from a book that cost me 12 dollars and 2000 words from a free user made memrise deck. The course claimed to get a person speaking, competent, but anyone not a beginner would say speaking basically with 800 words is nowhere near the level of working in Chinese or just doing a lot of daily life stuff, or reading/listening to media. (Although for the motivated beginner if you're learning 800 words on your own like I was, its definitely close to the point of jumping to learn more words and start reading kids and teenager books, and watching easier shows if you're willing to look new words up). So to me... Mandarin Blueprint felt like overselling some basic beginner materials. (Again when I know several other things that teach beginner stuff either more in depth so HSK test prep classes, and college courses, or that teach beginner stuff to the same depth as Mandarin Blueprint but free).

Some study materials aren't going to act like they teach everything. I've seen chinese courses just for learning to speak tones better and general pronunciation - probably worthwhile if your goal is to improve speaking and a teacher could help improve the issues your having. But a learner needs to be aware for that course that they'll need to study vocabulary on their own, its JUST a pronunciation improvement course.

[dear-dorian-gray]

My dear Dorian,

I have found something which might very well interest you.

You know how much I despise going to the market. Though, on occasion, it is the most wonderful place to watch people. There is no better way to know what people are truly like than to see them try to haggle. Materialism rules the human race, as we both know. So, last Sunday, I went down to an old flea market and found this collection of pinned butterflies. Their beauty is forever immortalized. They made me think of you.

I hope it will stir many delightful and uncomfortable thoughts in you.

— Harry

(Indeed, the letter came along with a box containing 9 different specimens of butterflies. They are all very beautiful and colorful.)

My dearest Harry,

Oh! The market! I don't understand how you hate it so much when there are so many interesting artefacts that one can find. Where else could we get so many of our amazing things? I hate to think what I would do without all of those exotic shopkeepers, enticing me to their stalls, to look upon their wonders and their horrors? And the haggling! It is so much fun to see! One cannot help but pity the failures, wouldn't you agree, Harry? Turned away, not enough funds, not convincing or dedicated enough... a tragic story! I always like to go and immediately purchase whatever somebody failed to buy, regardless of what it is.

As for your story about the butterflies, Harry, what a thing to say! I don't know what to do with you some of the time. I am a pinned, immortalised butterfly? And you purchased then for me? I do so love your gifts. I feel that this one will intrigue me always.

I will keep them on show in my parlour, and only we will know why they are there, Harry.

All my love,

Dorian ♡

[herlastnamepage]

Framed. Camden Market, 2025 taken by @herlastnamepage

[meadowreveries]

A great day at Greenfield Winter Farmer’s Market! I might teach a felting class here 👀👀👀👀

[jess-dailylife]

Attempt #5 at Affiliate Marketing & Attempt #7 at Blogging

Today, I’m taking a deep breath and diving into my fifth attempt at affiliate marketing and my seventh attempt at writing a blog. If I’m being honest, it feels like I’m swimming against the tide—no audience, no consistent engagement, and no clear roadmap. But here’s the thing: I’m not giving up. This time, I’m committing to consistency, even if I don’t see immediate results.

So far, every attempt has felt like a crash course in what not to do. I’ve tried different niches, experimented with platforms, and even splurged on tools and subscriptions that promised to make things easier—spoiler alert: they didn’t. It’s frustrating, and sometimes I feel like throwing in the towel, but there’s this tiny voice in my head that keeps saying, “What if this time it works?”

My goals are simple yet daunting: to build a following, create content that resonates, and eventually earn some passive income. The challenge is figuring out what to write about and how to stand out in an oversaturated digital world. Do people want how-to guides? Personal stories? Product reviews? Or should I switch to another platform entirely?

I know there are plenty of people who’ve been in my shoes and turned it around, so if anyone reading this has advice, I’m all ears.

Here’s what I’m planning to do differently this time:

Consistency: I’ll set a schedule and stick to it. Even if it’s just one post a week, I’ll show up.

Engagement: I want to interact with readers (when I get some!) and focus on creating a community, not just content.

Learning: I’ll dive into free resources and maybe take a couple of courses to sharpen my skills.

I’d love to hear from you. What kind of content do you enjoy reading? Are there specific topics you’d like me to explore? Do you think affiliate marketing and blogging are still worth pursuing in 2025, or should I pivot to something else, like TikTok or YouTube?

This journey feels lonely right now, but I’m hoping that by putting myself out there, I’ll eventually find my people. For now, I’m going to keep showing up, writing, and trying to figure it all out. Thanks for sticking with me—here’s to attempt #5 and #7!

-Just a girl in Ontario

[mrluky655]

[guerillamarketingguy]

The Ultimate Cheat Sheet on AI for Digital Marketers

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AI revolutionises digital marketing with personalisation, efficiency, and predictive analytics. Introduction Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping the digital marketing landscape, providing new tools and capabilities that enable marketers to refine their strategies, enhance personalization, and automate processes that were previously time-consuming. This blog post delves into how AI…

[titumizan]

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