For many founders, tracking social performance is all about performance when what they should really be looking at is impact.
Yes, there’s a difference. Brands think ROI is low because they’re expecting direct revenue from content instead of understanding the job social is actually supposed to do. And when expectations are misaligned, teams start believing that social “isn’t working” before it has even been correctly defined.
What does this mean? Startups often miss the mark by not defining social ROI properly in the first place, and here’s what happens: social is being measured with sales metrics, while being executed with brand-building tactics.
ROI Starts Earlier Than The Transaction
Social’s job is to prime the buyer for the close, but many teams evaluate it like a final-stage conversion channel. That’s where the breakdown starts.
Here are three layers of ROI that most fast-growth startups skip:
Recognition ROI: Are you showing up clearly and consistently enough to be remembered?
Relevance ROI: Do customers understand what you do, who you serve, and why you stand out?
Readiness ROIL: Are you reducing friction to the point where buying feels inevitable?
Most companies only measure the stage after this, Revenue ROI, which is the smallest part of the chain. Remember, like any investment, social ROI accrues over time. It’s not immediate.
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What Breaks ROI Fastest
Quite simply, the biggest ROI killers are assumptions. Common patterns are:
Teams are creating content for the product, not the buyer
Every post is a to-the-point sales pitch that doesn’t build desire
Content is being evaluated based on likes instead of language resonance
How To Measure Smarter
Here are some indicators that are far more predictive of ROI than raw follower count:
Language echo: Are you hearing your own messaging come back to you in DMs, comments, or replies?
Intent signals: Are people asking “how would this work for me” instead of “what do you sell”?
Narrative consistency: Is your messaging landing the same way across your website, email, and social, or does each channel feel like a different company?
Track those three signals weekly, and your ROI data will become more meaningful fast.
Why This Works
It’s important to remember that social ROI isn’t so much a singular outcome as it is the end result of sequential clarity.
When your message moves from recognition → relevance → readiness, revenue follows.
If your goal is a stronger ROI, start by adjusting how you measure performance in the first place. The data will become clearer, and your marketing will feel more confident.
Ready to Learn What’s Missing From Your Social Media Strategy ?
At That RANDOM Agency, we help founders and lean teams build systems that make content strategic. If you want social to become a consistent driver of awareness, trust, and buyer readiness instead of a stressful guessing game, we can help you.
Start with our Social Media for Small Business Owners course. It’s the simplest way to learn how to use emotional insight to build content that connects with the right people.
👉 Book a call with us to change the trajectory of your ROI.