By Melanie Boylan
Marketing your business online can feel like a full-time job in and of itself. But how do you know if it’s actually working? In the episode on the Monday Morning Marketing Podcast, we welcomed back the brilliant Amanda Webb, digital marketing ROI mentor and consultant, to dive into exactly how you can (and should) measure the return on investment (ROI) of your social media marketing.
Here’s what we learned:
First Things First: What is ROI?
ROI stands for Return on Investment. It’s not just about how much cash you're spending—it's about the time, energy, and effort you pour into your marketing too. Are you making money because of what you’re doing online? Or is it costing more than it brings in?
Amanda encourages business owners to value their time realistically—at least minimum wage. If you're not doing that, you're essentially running a hobby, not a business.
What Should Go into Your ROI Calculations?
Many businesses overlook the true cost of marketing. It’snot just about ad spend. Amanda reminded us to include:
- Time spent on tasks (yes, your time counts!)
- Business overheads (like heating, software, outsourcing)
- The actual cost to deliver your service
If you’re not taking all these into account, you might think your Facebook Ads are doing great… until you realise you're still not turning a profit.
To DIY or to Outsource?
If social media management is eating into your time and not giving a good return, it might be time to outsource. Amanda's advice: spend your energy on high-impact activities like sales and strategy, and delegate the rest.
Meet the ROI Fixer
Amanda offers a product called the ROI Fixer, a report that dives deep into your:
- Website and Google Analytics
- Social media data
- Customer lifetime value
If you’re more advanced, she’ll also help you identify what’s working, what’s not, and how to tweak it. It’s a smart starting point that leads into her longer six-month mentorship programme.
You Need Google Analytics (and Maybe Tag Manager)
Not the sexiest tools, but Amanda stresses the importance of setting up Google Analytics 4 (GA4). Yes, it's a learning curve, but it’s the backbone of online measurement. If it’s not set up—no problem. She can help.
Bonus tip: Use Google Tag Manager to set up conversions properly. If you’re not sure what that is, don’t panic—that’s exactly why people like Amanda exist.
Covert Benefits Are Still ROI
Amanda’s weekly Digital Coffee livestream is a perfect example. It doesn’t get millions of views, and her analytics don’t show a direct correlation to sales. But nearly every client she gets has seen the show and feels like they already know and trust her. That’s ROI you can’t always measure in charts.
Ask Your Customers How They Found You
It’s simple but so often overlooked. Ask questions like:
- "How did you hear about me?"
- "What brought you to my site today?"
Even if people don’t remember exactly, the patterns start to emerge. Analytics tell part of the story, conversations fill in the gaps.
Don't Fear the Numbers!
Analytics can be intimidating, but Amanda’s approach is to simplify. Focus only on the numbers that matter. Look beyond things like Facebook Reach and ask better questions: Are people visiting your website? Are they converting?
Tools Amanda Recommends:
- Toggl: For tracking how much time you actually spend on tasks (and revealing how much time you’re not).
- Strict Workflow: A browser extension to help break the habit of constant social media checks.
Both are great for productivity and understanding where your time (aka money) really goes.
Energy is ROI Too
Don’t underestimate the impact of your energy levels. Know when you work best. Amanda’s example? She’s full of ideas Monday morning, but totally drained by Friday afternoon. Plan your week around your peak performance times.
What About Suppliers and Collaborators?
ROI isn’t just about clients—it’s about where you invest across the board. Amanda looks at outsourcing tasks not only to save time but to improve quality and potentially attract more clients.
Before investing in a supplier, ask:
- Will this free up my time to sell more?
- Will it increase quality?
- Can I afford it?
Want to Work with Amanda?
She’s made a dedicated page just for listeners of the podcast:
👉spiderworking.com/mondaymorning
You’ll find:
- A free digital marketing audit worksheet
- The ROI Primer training
- A strategy template & workbook
She’s also on LinkedIn, definitely worth the follow!
ROI is about more than numbers, it’s about smarter marketing that actually pays off. Amanda Webb has a knack for making analytics less scary, more actionable, and honestly? More fun. We learned loads and hope you did too.
🎧 Listen to the full episode for even more tips.
Until next time,
Esther & Melanie
