How to measure social media success

So there is A LOT of talk about social media these days.

In fact, the other day even my parents asked me what the deal with Twitter was and my mom is a housewife who hasn’t yet embraced email *but* will pay her bills online. Go figure!

More and more statistics are showing that a social media strategy is required as part of your marketing tool box. But how do we measure success? Is success the number of followers you have on Twitter or the number of friends you have on Facebook?
Just recently, I experienced several great examples of the power and reach of Social Media.
Last Tuesday, I responded to this tweet:

Private Six Pixels book launch in Mtl tonight. I have 15 special invites. Want one? Email:

by @mitchjoel whose blog Six Pixels of Separation I follow. Now normally, I would have thought to myself, “What are the chances, I’m sure others will beat me to it” but I figured what do I have to lose? So I gave it a shot and got myself an invite to the private book launch of his new book “Six Pixels of Separation”.

Opportunity.

Social media allows us to connect with those that we normally could not. Sure, you may not always get noticed but it definitely levels the playing ground.

Another example, GaryVee, well known for his Wine Library TV, recently ran a contest for the most creative picture taken with the New York Times featuring him and the winner would have the chance to dine with him in NYC. Local Montrealer, @tamyemmapepin managed to capture his attention with her motivation and creativity with this dress made out of the New York Times.

At the end of the day, it’s about connecting, interacting, engaging and real-ationships. We can’t measure success simply by the count at the end of the day but more by the interactions and opportunities that have come out of it.

Thoughts?