SmartPulse — our weekly reader poll in Smartbrief on Social Media — tracks feedback from leading marketers about social media practices and issues.

Last week’s poll question: Have you or your company developed a social-media strategy, and are you seeing measurable results?

• We are in the process of developing a social-media strategy. 32%
• Yes, we have implemented a strategy and are seeing measurable results. 23%
• We have a strategy, but have yet to see measurable results. 23%
• We have yet to develop a social-media strategy. 20%
• Social-media strategy? What’s that? 2%

These poll results provide evidence that many companies are well on their way to meaningful social media engagement. Some have reached a pinnacle in terms of incorporating their social media strategy, even to the point of seeing measurable results.

If you or your company are still in the process of developing a strategy here are some points to consider:

• Social media is both a mindset and a tool set. Make sure you adopt the one before (or at least at the same time) you are implementing the other.
• Social media is more a function than a role. It has implications for marketing and PR, but it can also cut across any number of divisions (customer service, product development, HR, etc.).
• Social media is not meant to replace other forms of marketing, but to serve as an aligned channel integrated into an overall marketing strategy.
• Social media is subject to the same strictures as any other form of online marketing. It must stand up under the scrutiny of measurement and have an effect on ROI. Having said that, not everything in social media can be effectively or easily measured. There is a human element that has to be factored in that supersedes any attemps at quantification.

Good luck with your social media engagement efforts!

Paul Chaney is the Internet marketing director for Bizzuka, author of “The Digital Handshake,” and a member of the SmartBrief on Social Media Advisory Board.

Related posts:

1. What’s missing from your social-media engagement strategy?
2. Poll results: Getting past “warm and fuzzy”
3. Michael Brito: Straight talk on location-based social marketing