I was recently asked to be on a metrics panel at a local tradeshow. Preparing myself for this panel got me thinking about the metrics of engagement. Our firm is all about engaging the audience with the brand. This means not just measuring click-throughs and site visits, but number of actions taken and amount o f “quality time” spent with the brand. There are not any clearly defined metrics for measuring engagement.

As we begin to approach defining a methodology, we consider levels of potential engagement for any given marketing asset, be it an ad, a web page, a game or some other form of interactive marketing. We measure the number and length of interactions a target has with the brand and we quantify that data with the level of engagement of each individual piece. For example, I may have a web page, and on that web page exists only text, with no opportunity for interacting with the brand, this page would get a lower rating than say, a page where users may register for something, be added to a friend list, play a game, or otherwise interact with the brand. We then measure time spent on that page, number of interactions with the page (they signed up, they played the game, they uploaded a photo) and the result is a metric that we can use to measure engagement.

Of course, engagement may be something that falls somewhere between direct marketing and branding when it comes to measurment. It may fall short of the proof-positive metrics of conversion rates and sales dollars, but certainly has the potential to be measured with much higher success than branding campaigns that do not feature a measurable call-to-action.