ROI on Paid vs. Unpaid

The ROI on unpaid media is much harder to measure than the ROI on paid media. Even with that being said, paying nothing for something should definitely be in your marketing mix.

Consumers are the most weary of advertising ploys as they have ever been. Unpaid media gives consumers another reason to trust the product. When we're low on budgets, we're forced to create something out of very little. Getting in contact with bloggers is a be a big strategy we always turn to. Example: Dessert Darling reviews Lovin' Scoopful. Talking to bloggers is quite risky because they are obligated to make it known we contacted them, and then there's also the slight chance that they don't like your completely-awesome-how-could-anyone-not-like-it? product. Other examples would include the obvious Facebook and Twitter pages where users opt-in to receive your updates. I've even seen Facebook page URLs at the end of movie trailers and on storefronts, as production studios and brands are trying to turn paid media into unpaid media. It's hard to avoid the Facebook logo nowadays (unless you're living under a rock, of course). What was previously an icon just on the web has traversed into our real lives too: it seems like every brand wants us to be visit their site, be a fan on Facebook and follow them on Twitter. The best audience is one that actively comes to your brand for information, which opens up more time for you to seek out those new customers.

And wouldn't you know it — might you reconnect with those who love your product and then found you two years later online? An honest-to-goodness-unasked-for review of one of your clients' products is almost priceless.