The main reason campaigns get involved in social media in the first place is to help build support. So at what point should political operatives really start to measure their return on investment in social media? Before you can answer that question, you need to understand what it is you are actually investing in as a campaign.

When it comes to social media you aren’t necessarily making a monetary investment, you’re making an investment of time. Campaigns should think of social media as a way to build relationships with current and potential supporters, and building those relationships takes time. Therefore, it will take time to see the true ROI of social media.

Involving your campaign in social media takes time and patience, but the payoff will come. If you truly dedicate yourself to implementing a social media strategy you will see the return on investment.