At AMME Media, we love a great post that takes off—but we’re not here to sell you on going viral. We’re here to help you build a smart, sustainable presence that brings people through the door.
So what does success on social media actually look like and how can you measure the ROI of creating organic social media content?
Start with the Industry Standard: The 1% Rule
Across the industry, a commonly used benchmark is that about 1% of people who engage with your content will take action—most often visiting your business—within a three-month window.
It’s not an exact science, but it’s a realistic, repeatable standard that gives business owners a helpful way to measure the potential impact of their efforts. When you apply it to your numbers, the return might surprise you.
Take one of our coffee shop clients:
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A video featuring the owner Fernando received 2,800 views.
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If just 1% of those viewers came in, that’s 28 customers.
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With an average spend of $7, that’s nearly $200 generated from a single piece of content.
Now zoom out: their Instagram profile saw 26,200 views in 30 days. If 1% of those visitors stopped by in person, that’s 262 customers, or about $1,834 in additional revenue—all from showing up consistently online.
Shares Drive Higher Intent
It’s also worth noting that not all engagement is equal. Shares—especially on platforms like Facebook—often carry more weight than likes or views. Why? Because people tend to share content they want someone to see or experience with them.
That kind of referral behavior often leads to action, which is why conversion rates on shared content can rise to 5–10%.
One of our BBQ partners is a perfect example:
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A post we created hit 188,298 views and was shared 4,900 times.
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Another reel followed with 188,000 views.
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The result? They sold out four days in a row.
In this case, the content wasn’t just seen—it was shared with purpose, and people showed up.
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The Real ROI Is in the Long Game
Social media isn’t a slot machine—it’s a slow-build investment. The most reliable ROI comes not from virality but from consistency, clarity, and showing up for your audience.
If you’re getting discouraged by low likes or slow growth, zoom out. Even 1% of your engaged audience can create meaningful results. And when you create share-worthy content? That number only grows.